DOMESTIC CATTLE. 157 



of a feast. When previous experience has any- 

 thing to do with the action of the mob in expel- 

 hng their afflicted brother, one can conjecture 

 that they might, in their stupid beefy way, argue 

 the matter out somewhat as follows : " This 

 fellow seems to be a source of attraction to our 

 enemies ; look how those beasts of wolves are 

 swarming about him ! We had no idea that 

 there were so many of the brutes skulking about 

 in the woods ! Perhaps he has wickedly col- 

 lected them on purpose ; or, since they have 

 suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it may be 

 that the rascal makes them — who knows .'' At 

 any rate, he and his new friends are a nuisance 

 and a danger — so here goes to knock him out 

 of the herd ! " 



Probably, however, the action is generally the 

 result of inherent impulse, and is not founded 

 upon any acquired knowledge of the danger 

 to be feared from the presence of a sick com- 

 panion. We know that cattle are liable to in- 

 fectious diseases of many kinds ; and, prompted 

 by a blind instinct, they have probably in the 

 past been able on many occasions to preserve 

 their communities from the spread of contagion 

 by driving those first affected away into the 



