The Minds and Manners of Wild 
Animals 
 
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Title: The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals 
Author: William T. Hornaday 
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[Illustration with caption: OVERPOWERING CURIOSITY OF A 
MOUNTAIN SHEEP This "lava ram" stood thus on a lava crest in the 
Pinacate Mountains for about twenty minutes, gazing spellbound at two 
men and a pack mule. (See page 149)] 
 
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    
    
		
	
	
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