Obligations to Dumb Dependents 227 



allow collections of butterflies, and of birds' eggs 

 to be made ; ignorant of the treatment portioned out 

 to the various animals which their offspring may 

 pet, abuse, overfeed, and starve, according to juvenile 

 caprice and carelessness, children of three to four 

 years of age being permitted to maul, squeeze, and 

 maltreat kittens, puppies, etc., to an outrageous 

 extent, not only to the ensuing discomfort and agony 

 of the little things, but not infrequently to their 

 positive physical injury. 



No child should be allowed to have or to handle 

 any pet until it has reached the age when warning 

 and instruction may be assimilated and acted upon. 

 Nor should they, at any time, be allowed the handling 

 of animals too young or too feeble to resent with 

 vigour any attempt at abuse or oppression. Better 

 far the bite or scratch which teaches summarily and 

 indelibly its lesson, than the callous indifference 

 ensured by the patient suffering of tiny things which 

 can but dumbly wonder and lament that their help- 

 lessness secures for them only discomfort from the 

 juniors, neglect from the elders. The mere con- 



