44 



FIRST CLASS OF THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 



The Slave who is compelled to renounce his free-will is far from being in the same 

 condition. He holds the same rank in the Moral as a mutilated being or a monster 

 in the Physical World. 



The essential diflference between these two states is further seen in the opposite 

 means which are employed to enforce them. A Man can only be reduced to Slavery, 

 and maintained in it, by violence ; because it is the very nature of Liberty to be unre- 

 strained. An animal can only be domesticated by kindness. Its will exists, aoad 

 shows itself only in its wants, and it can only be acted upon through its necessities, 

 either by satisfying or enfeebling them. 



Violence is altogether useless in disposing a wild animal to obedience. As it has a 

 natural aversion to Man, from his being of a diflFerent species, it runs away, if at large, 

 upon the first impression of fear which he occasions, and if captive, maintains a 

 determined hatred towards him. It is only by restoring confidence that it can ever be 

 rendered familiar to him, and this can be effected only by kind treatment. It is thus 

 that the social instinct of the animal becomes gradually developed, and its natural 

 feeling of distrust of every thing which is new or strange becomes proportionately 

 weaker. 



The methods to be adopted in taming an animal are as various as the creatures 

 themselves. Each process must be adapted to the peculiar likings of the animal. 



To satisfy its natural wants is one method which, in the course of time, brings on 

 its entire submission, especially when applied to a very young animal. The habit of 

 receiving its food constantly from our hands renders it familiar, and finally it becomes 

 attached. But, except when very long continued, the attachments thus formed are 

 but shght. The benefits which the animal thus procures it could have obtained of 

 itself, had it been allowed to fulfil its natural disposition. As soon as we attempt to 

 bend it to any particular service it runs away, and quickly returns to its original inde- 

 pendence. It is therefore necessary, not only to satisfy its original and natural wants, 

 but, by creating in it new wants and enjoyments, to render the society of Man abso- 

 lutely necessary to its existence. 



Hunger is one of the most powerful means of taming animals. As the extent of a 

 benefit conferred is always in proportion to the want of the person relieved, so the 

 gratitude of the animal is more profound according as the food given to it was the 

 more necessary. This method is applicable to all the Mammalia. It gives rise to a 

 feeling of affection on the part of the animal, and at the same time produces a physical 

 debility which reacts upon and enfeebles its Will. It is thus that the education of 

 Horses begins, when they have passed their first years in a wild state. On being 

 first caught, a very small quantity of food is given to them, and at very long intervals 

 of time. They hence become gradually familiarized to their keeper, and acquire a 

 certain degree of affection for him, which he readily turns to his own advantage, and 

 thus confirms his power. 



If to the influence of hunger that of delicious food be added, the empire of kind- 

 ness becomes greatly extended; and this power arrives to a degree perfectly astonish- 

 ing, if we can succeed in pleasing the palate of animals by any kind of confectionery or 

 cookery, in a higher degree than could have been done by the best food attainable in 

 their wild state. In fact, it is chiefly by means of dainties, especially of sweetmeats, 

 that the herbivorous animals can be induced to go through those wonderful feats and 

 exercises which may often be witnessed in the Circus. 



These delicacies influence the will of the animal to such a degree, that starvation 

 and physical deprivations become no longer necessary. In a short time it acquires a 

 hio-h degree of affection for those who contribute to its enjoyment, and willingly per- 

 forms whatever they may require. 



But the services rendered by animals do not always proceed from so selfish an 

 origin. Caresses are one chief means of gaining their affection, which cannot be 

 termed sensual, because these are addressed to no particular sense. Their fondness 

 for caresses is altogether an acquired taste. No wild animal requires them from 

 others of its own species. Even among our domestic animals, we see the young 

 rejoice at the approach of their mother, the male and female happy in each other's 

 society, individuals accustomed to live together pleased to meet again after having 

 been separated; but these feelings are always accompanied with much reserve, and 

 they never extend to reciprocal caresses. It is from Man alone that they receive 

 them, and their attachment to him increases with the strength of the acquired taste 

 for them. The pleasure of animals may be further heightened by a soft tone of voice, 

 or even by touching their mammae. 



All animals are not sensible to caresses in an equal degree. The Ruminating ani- 

 mals seem but slightly influenced by them; the Horse, on the contrary, enjoys them 

 with ecstasy; it is the same with many Pachydermata, and especially with the Ele- 

 phant. The Cat is not indifferent to them; sometimes even it seeks them with 

 ardour; but it is unquestionably in the Dog that the influence of caresses produces 

 the most marked results ; and what is remarkable, all the other varieties of the 

 genus Canis, which have been hitherto observed, share this quahty with him, M. 

 F. Cuvier mentions, that in the Menagerie du Roi there was a She-Wolf, upon 

 whom caresses with the hand and voice produced so powerful an effect as almost to 

 amount to a state of delirium, and her joy was exhibited as much by cries as by move- 

 ments. A Jackal from Senegal was similarly influenced when treated in the same 

 manner; and a common Fox was so forcibly affected by them, that it was necessary 

 to abstain from all demonstrations of this kind, as the result might have been fatal to 

 the animal. It will be interesting to know that all these animals were females. 



It may be doubted whether we should consider the chanting of airs, or the sound 

 of bells, amongst those artificial pleasures by means of which animals are gratified 

 and captivated. The songs of the Camel-driver are perhaps only the simple signs by 

 which the Camels learn to mend or slacken their pace. 



That animals may continue to perform those acts of docility which we require from 

 them, caresses must follow as well as precede their performance. The constraint 

 employed in urging them to act would, if too long continued, have an injurious effect. 

 It is then only by repeating their delicacies or caresses that the calmness and confidence 

 is restored. 



When once familiarity and confidence prevail on the part of the animal by means of 

 kind treatment, and that habit has rendered the society of Man necessary to it, wc 



may then venture to use higher degrees of constraint, and even to inflict punishment- 

 But our means of severity are very limited. We can only use blows, with certain 

 precautions to prevent the chastised animal from running away. Punishment always 

 produces the same effect; it changes the disposition which we wish to suppress into 

 fear. By the association of ideas, the former impression yields, or is entirely merged 

 into the latter. 



It is always dangerous to carry the punishment of an animal to excess. Violent 

 fear may either totally intimidate the animal and render it for ever useless, or else it 

 drives it to despair, and it becomes altogether ferocious and unmanageable. A 

 Horse, naturally timid, if corrected imprudently, plunges in the madness of its 

 fright, along with its rider, into the deepest abyss. The Spaniel when kindly treated 

 is intelligent, docile to its master, and in every respect fitted for sporting ; yet if an 

 undue severity has been used in its education, it is undecided, hasty, or cringing. 



When once the severity of punishment has passed a certain limit, which varies in 

 species and even in individuals, tha animal begins to resist. In a moment, the instinct 

 of self-preservation awakes in all its force. Thus we often see our domestic animals, 

 and even the Dog itself, revolt against iU usage, and inflict the most cruel punish- 

 ment on its perpetrators. 



Many instances might be adduced of vengeance inflicted by the domestic animals, 

 especially by the Horse, against those who have ill-treated them, as well as the 

 hatred shown by these animals, and the very long time for which this feeling of 

 aversion has preserved its force. The cases are numerous and well known; and 

 although they have long demonstrated that brutality is not the way to obtain obe. 

 dience from animals^ these creatures still continue to be treated as if it were unne- 

 cessary to court their compliance. One example of an Elephant may be mentioned 

 here, which happened under the eyes of M. F. Cuvier. 



This animal had been entrusted, when three or four years old, to a young man 

 who took charge of it, and had trained it to perform various feats for the amusement 

 of the public. It paid implicit obedience, and seemed to feel a tender affection for 

 him. It not only yielded, without a moment's hesitation, to all his commands, but 

 seemed absolutely unhappy without him. It rejected the attentions of any other per- 

 sons, and even ate its food with sadness, when given by the hand of any other individual. 

 While this young man remained under the eyes of his father, who owned the Elephant, 

 he always treated it properly; but when it was transferred to the Menagerie du Rou 

 and that the young man was thus left to himself, his attentions diminished, the wants 

 of the animal were neglected, and in a moment of drunkenness he went so far as to 

 strike the Elephant. The poor animal immediately lost its habitual gaiety ; it became 

 so sad and dejected that it was supposed to be unwell. It, however, still obeyed the 

 keeper, but no longer performed its exercises with the same alacrity as heretofore. 

 Signs of impatience were sometimes shown, and then suppressed, as if two opposite 

 feelings were in secret conflict; the animal became less disposed to obey, which in- 

 creased the discontent of its leader. It was in vain that orders were given to the 

 young man on no account to strike the Elephant, whose former docility could only be 

 restored by the kindest treatment. Vexed at having lost his authority, and in not 

 being able to exhibit the feats of the Elephant with his former success, his irritation 

 increased, and one day he struck the animal with so much brutality that it became 

 excited to the utmost pitch of fury, and uttered such a yell that its terrified keeper, 

 who heard it for the first time, was glad to escape its vengeance. Never afterwards 

 would the animal permit him to approach; even at the sight of him it became en- 

 raged, and all attempts to manage it were unsuccessful. It became wholly untract- 

 able, and no longer could be induced to perform for the amusement of the pubUc. 



It thus appears that kindness on our part is absolutely necessary to dispose animals 

 to obedience, and that interest as well as humanity agree in pointing out the same 

 course for the proper management of their instincts. 



GENERAL REVIEW OF THE MAMMALIA CONTINQED. 



Taming of the Mammalia — Forced Watches — Castration — Susceptibility of dif- 

 ferent Tribes to the influence of Domestication — Formation of Domestic Races 

 — Relation to the Social Instincts. 



The different methods of taming wild animals pointed out in the preceding section, 

 are completely applicable only to those animals which are susceptible of affection and 

 of fear. Mlien animals feel a certain degree of attachment for kindness received, or 

 when they dread the repetition of punishment, it is sufficient merely to recal these 

 emotions to produce an immediate effect upon their Will. 



It often happens, however, from the peculiar nature of individuals or of species, 

 that certain habits or likings have acquired so powerful an influence, that no other 

 emotion can maintain the ascendancy. With animals of this character, neither 

 kindness nor punishment has any effect; and if persisted in, they would tend but to 

 increase their constitutional bias. It is only by acting immediately upon their Will, 

 so as to weaken the force of the ruling passion, that they can be rendered susceptible 

 of gratitude or of fear. With tempers so refractory as these, the only means of 

 domestication hitherto discovered are Forced Watches and Castration. 



Without proceeding to actual mutilation, it appears that of all methods Forced 

 Watches exercise the most powerful influence in enfeebling the Will of an animal, 

 and in disposing it to obedience, especially when united to a prudent combination of 

 rewards and punishments. Animals may be prevented from sleeping by applying the 

 whip more or less frequently, or still more effectually by a loud reverberating noise, 

 such as that of a Drum or Trumpet, which must be varied so as to avoid the effect 

 of uniformity. By keeping them long without food, and then feeding them shghtly 

 during their usual time of sleep, the same effect may also be produced. 



This method is applicable to all animals and to both sexes, although it does not 

 always produce the same result. The other method, that of Castration, appUes to 

 male individuals solely, and is absolutely necessary only with certain Ruminating animals, 

 but chiefly with the Bull. 



