w to jump. If
those behind jumped exactly as he did, they lived. If they stopped to
exercise independent judgment, they were pushed off and perished; they
and their judgment with them.

All these things, and many that are similar, occur to us when we think
of sheep. They are also ewes and rams. Yes, truly; but what of it? All
that has been said was said of sheep, _genus ovis,_ that bland beast,
compound of mutton, wool, and foolishness so widely known. If we think
of the sheep-dog (and dog-ess), the shepherd (and shepherd-ess), of the
ferocious sheep-eating bird of New Zealand, the Kea (and Kea-ess),
all these herd, guard, or kill the sheep, both rams and ewes alike. In
regard to mutton, to wool, to general character, we think only of their
sheepishness, not at all of their ramishness or eweishness. That which
is ovine or bovine, canine, feline or equine, is easily recognized as
distinguishing that particular species of animal, and has no relation
whatever to the sex thereof.

Returning to our muttons, let us consider the ram, and wherein his
character differs from the sheep. We find he has a more quarrelsome
disposition. He paws the earth and makes a noise. He has a tendency to
butt. So has a goat--Mr. Goat. So has Mr. Buffalo, and Mr. Moose, and
Mr. Antelope. This tendency to plunge head foremost at an adversary--and
to find any other gentleman an adversary on sight--evidently does not
pertain to sheep, to _genus ovis;_ but to any male creature with horns.

As "function comes before organ," we may even give a reminiscent
glance down the long path of evolution, and see how the mere act of
butting--passionately and perpetually repeated--born of the belligerent
spirit of the male--produced horns!

The ewe, on the other hand, exhibits love and care for her little ones,
gives them milk and tries to guard them. But so does a goat--Mrs. Goat.
So does Mrs. Buffalo and the rest. Evidently this mother instinct is no
peculiarity of _genus ovis,_ but of any female creature.

Even the bird, though not a mammal, shows the same mother-love and
mother-care, while the father bird, though not a butter, fights with
beak and wing and spur. His competition is more effective through
display. The wish to please, the need to please, the overmastering
necessity upon him that he secure the favor of the female, has made the
male bird blossom like a butterfly. He blazes in gorgeous plumage, rears
haughty crests and combs, shows drooping wat