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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 14, Issue 10 (January 1, 1940)

The Ladder of Excess

The Ladder of Excess.

Leo, by his jungle feasts, Is always dubbed “The King of Beasts.”

Homo, in his teeming hosts, Is claimed to be “The King Of Boasts.”

Homo is always expanding his chest; Leo is content to expand his “tummy.” Leo doesn't become all “chesty” because he has draped himself round more antelope than his brethren. He is merely filled with digestive gratification that so few of his antelope elope.

On the other hand Homo gets all puffed up over his “kills” and loves to hear the fawns and does exclaim: “Isn't he just too killing!” So he climbs the ladder of excess, from “kill” to “kill” until he figures in the final “kill” as the whole works.

Although Homo thinks so much of himself it is doubtful if the animals think much of him. The indifference that permeates the peanuttian precincts and the bone-gardens of the zoo represents the true sentiments of the animal world. Any faint interest in man shown by the larger carnivora is prompted by appetite rather than admiration. The lions and tigers sometimes bat a somnolent eye at pinkchopped salesmen and the young of butter merchants but, otherwise, they are not interested.

And yet we must hand it to Homo that what progress he has made has been achieved with a physical equipment pitifully inadequate for his ambitions.