"I wonder why they call that a lady-bug?" queried Harry.
"Because it's got good manners and behaves itself, and doesn't go shouting around like a boy, I guess," said Polly.
HUMBUGS AMONG ANIMALS.
One who has deeply studied the habits of animals has discovered that there are humbugs among them.
In military stables horses are known to have pretended to be lame in order to avoid going to a military exercise. A chimpanzee had been fed on cake when sick; after his recovery he often feigned coughing in order to procure dainties.
The cuckoo, as is well known, lays its eggs in another bird's nest, and, to make the deception surer, it takes away one of the other bird's eggs. Animals are conscious of their deceit, as is shown by the fact that they try to act secretly and noiselessly; they show a sense of guilt if detected; they take precautions in advance to avoid discovery; in some cases they manifest regret and repentance. Thus bees which steal hesitate often before and after their exploits, as if they feared punishment.
A naturalist describes how his monkey committed theft. While he pretended to sleep, the animal regarded him with hesitation, and stopped every time his master moved or seemed on the point of awakening.