

ANIMAL VIRTUES. 4 1 7 



sentries which utter alert cries from time to time, just 

 as our sentries cry all's well. They combine to 

 execute punishment, expelling or killing an ill-con- 

 ducted member of the tribe. As among savages, the 

 sick and the weakly are usually killed : though some- 

 times they are kept alive by alms ; even the blind 

 being fed by charitable persons. They labour in- 

 cessantly for the welfare of the community; they bear 

 one another's burdens ; they fight with indomitable 

 courage for the fatherland, and endeavour to rescue 

 a comrade even against overwhelming odds. The 

 domestic virtues are strong amongst them. Their 

 conjugal love is often intense and pure ; spouses have 

 been known to pine to death when parted from each 

 other. But if they have human virtues, they have 

 also human vices ; conjugal infidelity is known 

 amongst them ; and some animals appear to be pro- 

 fligate by nature. They are exceedingly jealous. 

 They sport, and gamble, and frisk, and caress, and kiss 

 each other, putting mouth to mouth. They shed tears. 

 They utter musical sounds in tune. They are cleanly 

 in their persons. They are ostentatious and vain, 

 proud of their personal appearance, bestowing much 

 time upon their toilet. They meditate and execute 

 revenge, keeping in memory those who have offended 

 them. They dream. They are capable of reflection 

 and selection ; they deliberate between two opposite 

 desires. They are inquisitive and often fall victims to 

 their passion for investigating every object which they 

 have not seen before. They profit by experience ; 

 they die wiser than they were born, and though their 

 stock of knowledge in great measure dies with them, 

 their young ones acquire some of it by means of in- 

 heritance and imitation. 



2d 



