Naturalist.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 414, 21 April 1904, Page 2

Naturalist.

ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE

.ffSSEHERE are many instances on record JhiTO showing how much the emotion of grief is felt bj animals.

Dr. Cains, a student and scholar who lived in the sixteenth century, testifies to the fact that dogs have 'principall property engrafted in them,; that they love their masters liberally and hate strangers desprightfully. . . . if it channce that their master be oppressed either by a multitude or by the greater violence, and so be beaten down that he be grovelling on the ground, it is proved true by experience that this dbgge forsaketh not his master, no, not when he is starcke dead, but induring the force of famishment, and the outrageous tempests of the weather, most vigilantly watcheth, and carefully keepeth the dead oarkasee. Many days endeavoring, furthermore, to Ml the mnrtherer of .iris master if he may get any advantage. Or else by barcking, by howling, by furious jairing and' starring and such like means betrayeth the malefactour, as desirous to have the death of his aforesaid master rigorously revenged.' A later day story is told of a cat which exhibited great affection for her mistress, a French lady. Wherever the mistress went the cat was sure to go, and from no other hands than those of hex mistress would she take food or be caressed. The lady fell ill and died. The cat was inconsolable, and refused to leave the chamber of death. At length the servants: took her away by force. The faithfnl oat was soon back again creeping about and mewing pit9ously. When the interment had taken place the cat, true to the last, was discovered stretched lifeless on the grave. Another cat, the pet and plaything of two Ijittle girls, exhibited a similar affection when both its young mistresses died pf scarlet fever. Horses and cattle do not exhibit emotion in a similar degree. They are certainly fond of their yousg, but are easily consoled at their loss, In India it is the custom to stuff the skin of a calf which has been killed for meat, and to place the dummy in the stable to induce the mother to give milk, and the cow is thus easily deceived. -*

Perhaps it is cot far wrong to assert that of all animals dogs are the most sagacious. And not only the most sagacious, but the most courageous, the most faithful and the moat affectionate. Gountlesß are the instances given in which dogs have rescued human beings from drowning, guarded houses and goods from burglars and warned men of danger, besides showing their keen instincts and wonderful sagacity in many and varied wajs. Here are a few instances:A certain dog, Tyrol by name, had been taught all manner of tricks. He fetched bis master's slippers when required and fresh peat for the fire when told. He could pull the bell rope to summon the maid. On one occasion he accompanied his master to a friend's house, and was made to exhibit his accomplishments, amongst them that of ringing the bell. But alas I the bell rope was too high, and he made several attempts in vain. At last he seized a chair by the leg, dragged it up to the rope, jumped on it, and rang the bell. The tog he gave was such a hearty one that his victory evidently gave him great satisfaction. A gentleman owned a large Newfoundland dog, of which he was very proudBiding out one summer's evening, accompanied by the dog and a friend, he asserted that any article he left behind would be brought him by bis faithful hound. Accordingly a shilling was marked and placed under a stone, the two gentlemen rode on three or four miles. The dog was then sent back for the shilling. They waited for him some time, but as he did not turn up, they grew anxious.

Meanwhile the dog, bent on his errand, returned to the stone, but found it too heavy to lift. He scraped and worked around it eagerly with his paws, one dismounted, and lifting the stone peered under it. Discovering a shilling, he put it into his breeches pocket, remounted, and rode (iff to an inn twenty mile* distant. w

The Newfoundland had his eye on him, and followed him all the way into the inn. Nay, he must have crept unobserved into their bedroom, and observed where the man had put his trousers on retiring-to rest—namely, on the back of a chair.

Once the travellers were asleep the dog seized the trousers, bounded with them out of the window, which was luckily open, and ran all the way home. Early the next morning hia master was awakened by a barking outside his door Mnoh to his astonishment, he found the dog, the trousers and the marked shilling. An advertisement was put in the papers, the owner of the trousers discovered and the whole m jstery unravelled. hj >? A gentleman fond of telling anecdotes which, like all anecdotes, were more or less true, used to relate the following :-~

He possessed at one time * dog which went regularly every mowing, to fetch, the 'Times: for his master. So far we can believe him, *

". One morning the dog. retained without the newspaper, and was sent bask again, bat with the same resnlt, After breakfast the master went himself, andtasked; why the dog had not been given the ' Times ' as usual. V »Sir,' answered the- news vendor, jour 'Times' did not arrive this morning, and when I offered jour dog the ' Morning Poet * he refused to aooept it;'