238 MOEAL CAUSES OF 



of its arch-persecutor man ; or leads sometimes, on the 

 other hand, to melancholia (Pierquin). 



Rivalry though it may be quite innocent, even playful 

 is as apt, as in man, to lead to excitement of a kind, or to a 

 degree, that is uncontrollable and dangerous. It may lead 

 variously to 



1. Crime such as murder. 



2. Mental disorder such as mania ; or to 



3. All kinds of error dangerous to the animal itself, 

 even to death, directly or indirectly. 



Rivalry may be the fruit of mutual agreement for mutual 

 pleasure ; there may be invitation, perhaps playful defiance, 

 to trials of strength, speed, or song, or to the display of 

 personal attractions. But at all times it is liable to beget 

 challenges in earnest, provocations or insults of a deliberate 

 kind, and resultant fights of the bloodiest character. Thus 

 the rivalry of male birds in courtship frequently leads to the 

 sacrifice or butchery of all his competitors by one successful 

 candidate for matrimonial favours. The rivalry of queen 

 bees, too, results in fight and the destruction of all competi- 

 tors by the strongest (Houzeau). Indeed, the mere dread of 

 rivals in the queen bee impels her not only to fury or furiosity 

 (Kirby and Spence), but to various acts of atrocity, including 

 murder (Figuier). The rivalry of the race -horse may be 

 nobler to begin with, but it is apt to degenerate, as is man's, 

 and to give rise to unworthy thoughts, followed by ignoble 

 deeds. 



Eivalry almost inevitably begets jealousy ; and it is this 

 c green-eyed monster ' that is so apt to beget in its turn a 

 murderous impulse, or murderous mania in the dog or cat. 

 These animals sometimes assault or murder a rival for 

 instance, in the favour of a master or mistress, even though 

 that rival should be one of their own offspring ( ( Animal 

 World 3 ). The 'maddening' influence of jealousy in male 

 dogs is remarked upon by Fleming ; and Miss Cobbe refers 

 to the expression of jealousy by fury in the same animal. 

 Jealousy in lap-dogs, when supplanted by rivals, frequently 

 leads, on the one hand, to persecution of the successful new- 

 comer, and on the other, to the refusal of food by the dis- 



