I02 The Descent of Man. Part I, 



and pulled out so many feathers, that he no longer thought 

 of his prey, but only how to escape. This eagle, as Brehm 

 remarks, assuredly would never again attack a single monkey of 

 a troop.'" 



It is certain that associated animals have a feeling of love for 

 each other, which is not felt tj non-social adult animals. How 

 far in most cases they actually sympathise in the pains and 

 pleasures of others, is more doubtful, especially with respect to 

 pleasures. Mr. Buxton, however, who had excellent means of 

 observation," states that his macaws, which lived free in Norfolk, 

 took " an extravagant interest " in a pair with a nest ; and when- 

 ever the female left it, she was surrounded by a troop " scream- 

 " ing horrible acclamations in her honour." It is often difficult 

 to judge whether animals have any feeling for the sufferings of 

 others of their kind. Who can say what cows feel, when they 

 surround and stare intently on a dying or dead companion ; ap- 

 parently, however, as Houzeau remarks, they feel no pity. That 

 animals sometimes are far from feeling any sympathy is too 

 certain ; for they will expel a wounded animal from the herd, or 

 gore or worry it to death. This is almost the blackest fact in 

 natural history, unless, indeed, the explanation which has been 

 suggested is true, that their instinct or_ reason leads them to 

 expel an injured companion, lest beasts of prey, including man, 

 should be tempted to follow the troop. In this case their con- 

 duct is not much worse than that of the North American Indians, 

 who leave their feeble comrades to perish on the plains : or the 

 Fijians, who, when their parents get old, or fall ill, bury them 

 alive.'^ 



Many animals, however, certainly sympathise with each other's 

 distress or danger. This is the case even with birds. Capt. 

 Stansbury " found on a salt lake in Utah an old and completely 

 blind pehoan, which was very fat, and must have been well fed 

 for a long time by his companions. Mr. Blyth, as he informs 



'° Mr. Belt gives the case of a " 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' 



spider-monkey (Ateles) in Nicara- KoTember, 1868, p. 382. 



gua, which was heard screaming for '^ Sir J. Lubboclj, ' Prehistoric 



nearly two hours in the forest, and Times,' 2nd edit. p. 446. 



was found with an eagle perched '^ As quoted by Mr. L. H. Morgan, 



close by it. The bird apparently ' The American Beaver,' 1868, p. 



feared to attack as long as it re- 272. Capt. Stansbury also gives an 



mained face to face ; and Mr. Belt interesting account of the manner 



believes, from what he has seen of in which a very young pelican, 



the habits of these monkeys, that carried away by a strong stream, 



they protect themselves from eagles was guided and encouraged in its 



by keeping two or three together, attempts to reach the shore by hull 



'The Naturalist in Nicaragii-* ' 1 R74. a finsten old birdt* 

 p. 138. 



