The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals A Book of Personal Observations   By: William Temple Hornaday (1854-1937)

THE MINDS AND MANNERS OF WILD ANIMALS

A BOOK OF PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS

BY WILLIAM T. HORNADAY, Sc.D., A.M. DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. AUTHOR OF "THE AMERICAN NATURAL HISTORY," "TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE," "CAMP FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES," "OUR VANISHING WILD LIFE," ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

The wild animal must think, or die.

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY WILLIAM T. HORNADAY

Printed in the United States of America

The right of translation is reserved

Published May, 1922

TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK, WHOSE SAFETY DEPENDS UPON THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE MINDS OF WILD ANIMALS, THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION AND REGARD

CONTENTS

I. A SURVEY OF THE FIELD

I. THE LAY OF THE LAND II. WILD ANIMAL TEMPERAMENT & INDIVIDUALITY III. THE LANGUAGE OF ANIMALS IV. THE MOST INTELLIGENT ANIMALS V. THE RIGHTS OF WILD ANIMALS

II. MENTAL TRAITS OF WILD ANIMALS

VI. THE BRIGHTEST MINDS AMONG ANIMALS VII. KEEN BIRDS AND DULL MEN VIII. THE MENTAL STATUS OF THE ORANG UTAN IX. THE MAN LIKENESS OF THE CHIMPANZEE X. THE TRUE MENTAL STATUS OF THE GORILLA XI. THE MIND OF THE ELEPHANT XII. THE MENTAL AND MORAL TRAITS OF BEARS XIII. MENTAL TRAITS OF A FEW RUMINANTS XIV. MENTAL TRAITS OF A FEW RODENTS XV. THE MENTAL TRAITS OF BIRDS XVI. THE WISDOM OF THE SERPENT XVII. THE TRAINING OF WILD ANIMALS

III. THE HIGHER PASSIONS

XVIII. THE MORALS OF WILD ANIMALS XIX. THE LAWS OF THE FLOCKS AND HERDS XX. PLAYS AND PASTIMES OF WILD ANIMALS XXI. COURAGE IN WILD ANIMALS

IV. THE BASER PASSIONS

XXII. FEAR AS A RULING PASSION XXIII. FIGHTING AMONG WILD ANIMALS XXIV. WILD ANIMAL CRIMINALS AND CRIME XXV. FIGHTING WITH WILD ANIMALS

THE CURTAIN.

PREFACE

During these days of ceaseless conflict, anxiety and unrest among men, when at times it begins to look as if "the Caucasian" really is "played out," perhaps the English reading world will turn with a sigh of relief to the contemplation of wild animals. At all events, the author has found this diversion in his favorite field mentally agreeable and refreshing.

In comparison with some of the alleged men who now are cursing this earth by their baneful presence, the so called "lower animals" do not seem so very "low" after all! As a friend of the animals, this is a very proper time in which to compare them with men. Furthermore, if thinking men and women desire to know the leading facts concerning the intelligence of wild animals, it will be well to consider them now, before the bravest and the best of the wild creatures of the earth go down and out under the merciless and inexorable steam roller that we call Civilization.

The intelligence and the ways of wild animals are large subjects. Concerning them I do not offer this volume as an all in all production. Out of the great mass of interesting things that might have been included, I have endeavored to select and set forth only enough to make a good series of sample exhibits, without involving the general reader in a hopelessly large collection of details. The most serious question has been: What shall be left out?

Mr. A. R. Spofford, first Librarian of Congress, used to declare that "Books are made from books"; but I call the reader to bear witness that this volume is not a mass of quotations. A quoted authority often can be disputed, and for this reason the author has found considerable satisfaction in relying chiefly upon his own testimony.