Hornaday’s Observations on Obedience Among Animals
Back in the early part of the 20th Century, William T. Hornaday was the director of the New York Zoo. He was a pioneer in his field, and today one of the most prestigious awards a Boy Scout can earn is named for him. The “Hornaday Award” is given to a Scout or a Troop that does significant work to preserve our environment. A Scout who earns this award is authorized to wear a special square knot patch on his uniform for the rest of his life. (Actually there are several Hornaday awards, but we cannot go into that here.)
William T. Hornaday grew up on a farm in Indiana, in what is now the Hou Koda District of the Crossroads of America Council, BSA. He was always interested in animals, and when he became an adult he went all over the world to study animals and bring some back for zoos. He thought that, in many ways, animals are more “morally straight” than most people.
He wrote about eight laws of “morality” that animals observe, and this is one of them: “Absolute obedience to herd leaders and parents is essential to the safety of the herd and of the individual; and this obedience must be prompt and thorough.”
Here is how he explained this law:
“Whenever the affairs of grown men and women are dominated by ignorant, inexperienced and rash juniors, look out for trouble; for as surely as the sun continues to shine, it will come. With an acquaintance that comprehends many species of wild quadrupeds and birds, I do not recall even one herd or flock that I have seen led by its young members. There are no young spendthrifts among the wild animals. For them, youthful folly is too expensive to be tolerated. The older members of the clan are responsible for its safety, and therefore do they demand obedience to their orders. They have their commands, and they have a sign language by which they convey them in terms that are silent but unmistakable. They order, “Halt,” and the herd stops, at once. At the command, “Attention,” each herd member “freezes” where he stands, and intently looks, listens and scents the air. At the order, “Feed at will,” the tension slowly relaxes; but if the order is, “Fly!” the whole herd is off in a body, as if propelled by one mind and one power.
“My first knowledge of this law of the flock came down to me from the blue ether when I first saw, in my boyhood, a V-shaped flock of Canada geese cleaving the sky with straight and steady flight, and perfect alignment. Even in my boyish mind I realized that the well-ordered progress of the wild geese was in obedience to Intelligence and Flock Law. Later on, I saw on the Jersey sands the mechanical sweeps and curves and doubles of flying flocks of sandpipers and sanderlings, as absolutely perfect in obedience to their leaders as the slats of a Venetian blind.
“A herd of about thirty elephants, under the influence of a still alarm and sign signals, once vanished from the brush in front of me so quickly and so silently that it seemed uncanny. One single note of command from a gibbon troop leader is sufficient to set the whole company in instant motion, fleeing as speed and in good order, with not a sound save the swish of the small branches that serve as the rungs of their ladder of flight.
“In the actual practice of herd leadership in species of ruminant animals, the largest and most spectacular bull elk or bison is not always the leader. Frequently it has been observed that a wise old cow is the actual leader and director of the herd, and that “what she says, goes.” [He tells about the experience of old time buffalo hunters from the 1800s.] Whenever a buffalo took alarm and attempted to lead away the bunch, usually it proved to be a wise old cow. The bulls seemed too careless to take notice of the shooting and try to lead away from it.”
As Boy Scouts, we should remember that God made the animals and God gave the animals whatever wisdom they have. What the animals do is done according to God’s law, and the Bible tells us that God’s law says, “. . . remember all my commandments and obey them; then you will not turn away from me and follow your own wishes and desires.” (Numbers 15:39, Good News Translation.)
[SOURCE: Hornaday, William T. The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals: A Book of Personal Observations. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1922, pp. 228-230. Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.]