A BERD'S-EYE-VffiW 



There was trouble in the Ark. Dissat- 

 isfaction and discontent were rampant. 



The Frog croaked because he was not 

 furnished with stagnant water and bul- 

 rushes ; the Hog was disgruntled because 

 he had no wallow ; the Crustacea were a 

 crabbed set; the Fish were carping to a 

 degree because the Arkite regulations 

 forbade their getting out into the water ; 

 the Cat complained because it was so 

 closely mewed ; the Wolf was howling 

 mad because' his canine relatives showed 

 a dogged determination to interfere with 

 some of his prerogatives, and the Oyster 

 was in a stew because it hadn't rained 

 salt water. 



These evidences of discontent, however, 

 were of minor importance when com- 

 pared with the turmoil, tumult and con- 

 fusion existing in the aviary. The birds 

 openly announced that they had a "crow 

 to pick" with the genus homo, who had, 

 so they said, without warrant or reason, 

 assumed a superiority over all other ani- 

 mals. They said that they had been 

 cooped up long enough by one whom 

 they regarded as an inferior animal, and 

 they purposed showing him up in his 

 true light — this "bi-ped without feath- 

 ers !" 



"The main characteristics of an ani- 

 mal," said the Eagle, who seemed to be 

 chief spokesman, "being the use of the 

 various senses and the power of volun- 

 tary locomotion, it follows that the test 

 of superiority is the most efficient use of 

 the senses and of the locomotive func- 

 tions. 



"I have duly considered the subject," 

 continued the Eagle, "and I have come 

 to the unbiased conclusion that Man is 

 very inferior in all that goes to make up 

 a perfect animal ; and, while it is not my 

 desire to attempt to 'crow over' him in 

 the least, the truth must be spoken. It is 

 true that he has the use of his senses, that 

 he sees, hears, feels, smells and tastes, 

 but only in modified degree. He has the 

 sense of sight, but to a very limited ex- 



tent. He is inferior in that he has not 

 the 'eagle-eye,' poor soul ! Further con- 

 sidering the question under discussion," 

 said the Eagle, evidently in hjgh feather, 

 "Man has not the exquisite touch of the 

 Spider, and, with all of his boasted in- 

 genuity, he cannot make a spider's web ; 

 his sense of hearing is not as perfect as 

 that of many other animals and his au- 

 ricular apparatus is inferior even to that 

 of the groveling Mole, while as to taste 

 Man may be said to be inferior to nearly 

 all other animals, not having the sense 

 sufficiently developed to distinguish be- 

 tween a poisonous and a harmless herb." 



The Vulture said that Man's olfactor- 

 ies were very inferior and that if he had 

 no better sense of smell than Man, he 

 would simply starve. 



The Owl hooted at Man's claim of su- 

 periority, creating the impression that to 

 add any proofs to those already advanced 

 would be like "carrying owls to Athens." 

 He said that as Man had arrived at that 

 degree of enlightenment which recog- 

 nizes the Owl as a type of wisdom, and, 

 as he very properly placed stuffed speci- 

 mens of his owlship's deceased relatives 

 in his study, from which to draw inspir- 

 ation, he verily believed that what a real 

 live owl would have to say upon the sub- 

 ject under discussion, would be accepted, 

 by Man, at least, as conclusive. 



"As has been well said by the Eagle," 

 said the Bird sacred to Minerva, "by day 

 Man has a very defective vision, and, I 

 wish to add, by night he is as blind as a 

 bat, while I see with marked distinctness. 

 As to his senses," continued the Owl, 

 "his inferiority is too evident to admit of 

 discussion, and I am not 'going on a wild 

 goose chase' when I maintain that he is 

 equally inferior as a locomotive being. 

 He is, when born, utterly helpless and 

 so remains for many months. He does 

 not learn to stand upon his feet for a long 

 time, and accomplishes this, to him, won- 

 derful feat, after much coaching and 

 after experiencing many awkward falls, 



102 



