154 CEIME AND CRIMINALITY. 



all in consequence of the thievish propensity of some house- 

 hold animal. 



The Viscacha, again, while its accumulations are as useless, 

 varied, and proportionally large as those of the rat, seems to 

 have SL preference simply for objects that are hard. Hence 

 there are to be found in heaps about the mouths of its bur- 

 rows stones, sticks, bones of cattle, hard lumps of earth and 

 thistle stalks (Darwin, Wood). So well known is this 

 theftuous habit of the animal, ' that when an article is lost 

 the loser always goes to the viscacha burrows to search for 

 it ' (Wood) ; and it would be well if man could do the same 

 to the hoards of the rat. 



Some animals go further than merely steal articles that 

 are useless : they help themselves, to their own detriment, to 

 those that are poisonous. More especially does the monkey 

 frequently do so, while its inquisitiveness and imitativeness 

 lead it to eat or drink the stolen substance, though it should 

 be a paint, a poison, or a drug. 



One of the striking features of the theft of useless or 

 mischievous articles is the frequent or usual incorrigibility 

 of the habit of stealing. The monkey, if it do not die from 

 the swallowing of a poisonous paint or other substance ; the 

 rat, so long as it is not captured ; and the magpie, so long as 

 it is at freedom in a house, go on stealing, undeterred by any 

 kind of punishment. They steal apparently for the sake of 

 stealing, not for the sake of the goods stolen. In many cases, 

 at least, there can be no such motive as hunger or starvation, 

 for the animals are duly fed by kind masters or mistresses. 



There would appear to be veritable morbid impulse, which 

 the animal finds it impossible to resist. All that is required 

 to determine the operation and development of this morbid 

 impulse is opportunity, which gives rise to suggestion. For 

 as regards other animals, as well as man, we have probably 

 due cause to reflect as Shakespeare has it in 'King John' 



How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds 

 Makes ill deeds done ! 



In other words, given the suitable opportunity and theft is 

 committed, not because the articles to be stolen are required, 

 or can be made use of, but simply because a morbid acquisi- 



