From: J de Lyser (gd33463@glo.be)
Date: Tue Dec 31 1996 - 05:27:02 MST
since the cannibalism thread is still continuing, here's a little something
that happened this christmas. Attention, if you have a weak stomach, or
intend to eat something later this day, don't read on !!!
Every now and then i visit my parents farm, but when it gets colder, mice
come in the old farmhouse, and deprive me of my sleep. What i've always done
is set mouse traps, and because i'm a light sleeper (i wake up from the
sound the trap makes when it snaps), i can occasionally save the mouse's
life, after which i put it in a bucket or something, and set it free in the
morning, in the barn that is furthest from the house.
This night i cought two mice. The first one got 'lucky' and just got his
head cought it the trap, it had no visible wounds. I put the mouse in a
transparent champagne cooler (don't ask me why, we use it to clean the
aquarium) and put a large book on top of it. The second mouse wasn't so
lucky, the metal of the trap must have hit him hard, beacuse the mouse was
lying on his back a few inches from the trap, when i picked it up, it was
still alive, showed no open wounds, but its fore legs we're paralyzed. I put
it in the same champagne cooler...
I woke up again a few times that night from the sounds the first mouse made
trying to jump out, and saw that the second mouse had died. I also saw that
he now had a big open wound on his hip. I went back sleep, but when i woke
up the next morning i saw the second mouse had a second open wound in his
neck. Later i saw the first mouse eating from it.
In my youth on the farm, i saw similar events happen with chickens (they
also loved dinner left overs, including cooked chicken meat !) and Pigs
(who'll eat anything !)
I wonder if cannibalism may be an additional explanation for how some types
of homidids may have dissapeared ?
J. de Lyser
Surreal@glo.be
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