168 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS [Inj 



hyena is wounded, its companions instantly tear it fto pieces and 

 devour it ; and among domestic dogs, the persecuted, defenceless 

 cur, yelping in its flight from the brutality of the idle urchins 

 in the streets, is chased and worried by every dog within hear- 

 ing of its distress. There exists an instinctive repugnance to 

 everything which cannot defend itself. The motive which per- 

 mits men to attack or neglect those who are disabled is also 

 impenetrable. But the sad spectacle is sometimes seen ; and the 

 man who is in search of protection from a horde of persecutors, 

 goes from one man to another for aid only to be snapped at, 

 cuffed, brow-beaten, and snubbed. p. 



The Recuperative Powers of the Injured. 



Like many other beings that occupy a very low position in 

 the animal kingdom, the star fishes have a very great power of 

 reproducing lost or damaged members. It is a common thing 

 to find specimens of this very species with only three rays, 

 and sometimes a five-finger star-fish (Uraster rubens) is found 

 with only one ray complete. Now the fisherman, either igno- 

 rant of their reproductive powers, or failing to draw a just 

 inference from their knowledge, have a custom of tearing the 

 star-fish in two, and throwing the pieces back into the sea. 

 The consequence is, that the two halves become two individuals, 

 and the fisherman has only doubled the power of his foe in- 

 stead of destroying it. From these facts persecutors might 

 learn a very useful lesson. The creatures they wantonly injure 

 have a recuperative power which is not taken into adequate 

 consideration. All history will attest this fact. When in- 

 quisitorial and brutal " fishers for men " have been sent for- 

 ward by despots, who have desired to break up religious sects 

 and destroy political parties, it has never been properly under- 

 stood that the very means for extermination which have been 

 adopted have been the very ones which would multiply the power 

 of those whom these scoundrels intended to injure. Tyrants 

 may exert their utmost force against their humble enemies, and 

 find, too late, that they have multiplied in consequence of it. 

 The recuperative power has come into work, and multiplication 

 has joined it. r. 



