CHAPTER XIV 



CENSORED NATURAL HISTORY NEWS 



THE Ancients went in strong for superstitions 

 both in peace and war. These were sup- 

 posedly for the general welfare. The pagan 

 priests in power during the closing days of old 

 Rome are said never to have met without laughing 

 over the absurd superstitions which they were per- 

 petuating. But one of the greatest victories re- 

 corded for a Roman admiral was the sinking of a 

 superstition. He was about to meet the fleet of 

 the enemy for a decisive battle when the sacred 

 chickens aboard refused to eat. This bad omen 

 discouraged the superstitious sailors, and even the 

 officers were losing their morale. The admiral, 

 however, promptly threw the chickens overboard, 

 with the remark that perhaps they would drink, 

 and proceeded to victory. 



A story of modern origin and common circula- 

 tion has the Bighorn mountain sheep dive over 

 precipices and triumphantly land on his horns at 

 the bottom. But the Bighorn does not know tins 

 story and the plan is strange to him. The few 

 sheep that may have tried it never returned to 

 report results. 



215 



