Animals Dealing Out Justice.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 28 August 1914, Page 2

Animals Dealing Out Justice.

Many animals, birds, and insects have courts of justice as well as men. Rats deal in a drastic manner with their malefactors. When an offence against rat law is discovered a court martial is hastily convened, which is characterised by much squealing and scurrying about as the culprit is arrayed before his judges. The verdict is generally one of "Guilty," and immediately this is agreed upon the whole army of rats pounce upon the unfortunate offender and devour him. A beaver that is idle and refuses to work is at once boycotted, banished, and hounded out of the colony, and, no further notice being taken of him, he pines away, brokenhearted. Sparrow law must be of an extremely rigid nature., judging from the numerous courts martial held by them. When you hear the savage chirpings and hasty flutterings in the eaves and on the roof of your house you may be sure that some unfortunate transgressor of bird law is having stern justice meted out to him by his outraged brothers and sisters. Crows, jackdaws, and starlings are all known to hold courts martial lasting for- several days. Some of the birds perch dejectedly, hanging their heads, others are sad and silent, while others are extremely garrulous. The industrious ant, above all things, will not. tolerate idleness, and woe betide one of the community whose aspirations tend towards swelling the ranks of the unern-" ployed. He is quickly brought to justice. One moment he may be seen standing inside a circle composed of stern, merciless judges, and the next he will be a further burden upon the rates of the ant colony.—"ideas."