NATURE—AND MAN

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11827, 7 January 1933, Page 10

NATURE—AND MAN

“THE LORD OF THE FOWL AND THE BRUTE.

LOWER, ANIMALS AND RETORT (Edited by Leo Fanning.) As this is the holiday season, when very few people are inclined to do any hard thinking—unless they have to—this week's article will he on tho light side. Many interesting books have been written about Animal Kingdom (mammals, reptiles, insects, etc.), but usually the authors have discoursed from the viewpoint of man as lord ot the fowl and the brute. They have conceded “almost human intelligence” to the less pretentious creatures. but the “lower animals” rnav retort that the did all the pioneering in social, industrial, and political. affair’s, and that man is merely a much-belated and over-rated or -improver of things invented or evolved bv the “lower orders.”

Alan’s belief that he is the natural overlord of the world is not admitted by the animals; indeed they often fiercely dispute the claim; and even the insects have very emphatic opposing opiniins on that question. The truth is that each species of beast, bird, ami insect believes that the world exists for itself, and that other creatures are trespassers, intruders, nuisances. W'e know what the farmer thinks of the rabbit, but wliat dots the rabbit think of the farmer? What is the rabbit'* view of.the world? To the rabbit it is a region where some places are better than others are, a

region which would be much more pleasant if f’oxf'.s, hawks, human beings, ferrets, and other undesirable immigrants could be excluded.

What docs the earthworm think of the cosmos The worm no doubt feels that the earth and the fatness thereof aro its own special presserve, and regards the early bird as the devil, with no right at .‘ill to worry the lawful possessors of the rolling globe.

Long before men and women lived in villages with any kind of organisation the bc-es and the ants had their elaborate social and industrial systems. The bees had their queendorns many thousands’ of years before the human race had its first kingdom. Both the bees ansd ant believe vc-ry firmly in policies of hard work. They oppose doles. Indeed they wear Themselves to death with incessant industry which is rather- pathetic and not an enviable, fate. The bees would have a mo’st scornful opinion of a human cabaret, and tho ant’s comment on a garden party or a mayoral reception would be unprintable.

Many centuries before any human community had an army for operations offensive and defensive, some species of ant's had very efficient armies. Indeed some tribes of ants specialised in robbery and slavery. Some ants were farmers thousands of years before the human race progressed from the hand-to-mouth hunting of fishing to pastoral and agricultural pursuits. The anr, had their “cows” —the aphis—which they penned up, fed with green stuff, and “milked.” These skilful farmers were not- bothered with mortgages nor distressed by slumps ; n prices of dairy produce.

There are other iarniers, ihe animals which are known as haymakers. They cut herbage, dry it, cure it. and have stacks or silo® of it for winter use.

The bee is, of course, well known as a mathematician, architect, and builder. The boo found one xhe exact angle to give the maximum strength to the waxen evils of the comb. The common rat is a very clever mining engineer; lie knews exactly how to plan the drives of hix tunnels: between ■distant points. The beaver is an admirable waterworks engineer. An so you can go oil with various other animals, birds, or in'sects which have reached high degrees 01 efficiency in various occupations. Lot us go for a moment to man s latest feats in aviation and wireless. The Albatross is still ahead of the aeroplane and certain kinds of moths and butterflies were experts in wireless before the pyramids of Egypt were built. Those insects send signal# long distances si gainst- the wind. Scientists say that the sense of smell could not explain the marvel, and they declare with all the solemn seriousness ol science (believable in this easel that the insects of one sox attract their mates hv sending out radio messages. One sex has transmitting equipment, and the other has a receiving set.

This revelations of the moth's progress in wireless comes as no surprise to those who have read about destine eel’s battery. Hero is fish which ha’s evolved an electric installation within its body so that it can give very sever shocks to oilier creatures, including man. This eel was a good practical electrician long before the human race reached the Stone Age.

“Yes," someone may say, "the animals, birds, and insects may be all right in the hard-working trades and learned professions hut what about other developments in which men is pre-eminent ?” Well, what about them? Take Parliament for example. AY ho had the first Parliament. Not man. Plenty of birds and animals have been ahead of him there. It is well known that brooks conferences under wise old presidents—a kind of Book Parliament. The delegates • seem to have the equivalent- ol’an order paper, and they apparently discuss policies. They certainly set- an example to human Parliaments in the promptness and definiteness of the decisions.

Take music, too. What better than p chorus of bellbirds or the solo of the tui or the thrush? The warbles and chortles o.f Australian magpies also set human folk something difficult- to beat-. It is the same thing with dancing. Australia’s bowerbirds. have invented some wonderful dances, winch aie petformed with proper ritual, and there are many other birds which dance very prettily.

NATURE AND A lAN TWO DE222 Even in the arts of love-making the birds have nothing to learn from humanity. What could be more heart-breaking than the courtly bowing and cooing of the dove? In sport, too, plenty of the bush birds and animals have gone further than mankind. New Zealand’s kea, one of the world’s best demonstrators of the joy of living, iv? full of fun and frolic, and is remarkably clever in improvising all manner of games. That well-known bird-lover, Air Edgar Stead, of Christchurch, could write a very bright chronicle on the games which his kens devised fo Tthernselves years ago. 1 have already reported the seagulfs’ air-sports which I observed in Wellington—and I have seen other games which animals and birds have evolved for themselves without train, ing or “coaching” irorn man.