334 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



Ruminants. 



Concerning sympathy, Major- General Sir George Le 

 Grand Jacob, C.B., &c., writes me of instances which he 

 observed of doe ibexes raising with their heads the bucks 

 which he shot, and supporting them during flight. 



A vivid and intelligent class of emotions, in which 

 sympathy and rational fear are blended, seem to be ex- 

 hibited by cattle in slaughterhouses. Many years ago a 

 pamphlet was written upon the subject, and more recently 

 Mr. Robert Hamilton, F.C.S., without apparently knowing 

 of this previous publication, wrote another pamphlet, con- 

 veying precisely similar statements. These are too long 

 to quote in extenso ; but from a letter which the latter 

 gentleman writes to me I may make the following ex- 

 tract : 



The animal witnessing the process of killing, flaying, &c., 

 repeated on one after another of its fellows, gets to comprehend 

 to the full extent the dreadful ordeal, and as it mentally grasps 

 the meaning of it all, the increasing horror depicted in its con- 

 dition can be clearly seen. Of course some portray it much 

 more vividly than others ; the varying intelligence manifested in 

 this respect is only another link which knits them in oneness 

 with the human family. 



Pride is well marked in sheep and cattle, as shown by 

 the depressing effects produced on a * bell-wether ' or 

 leading cow by transferring the bell to another member of 

 the herd ; and it is said that in Switzerland the beasts 

 which on show days are provided with garlands, are 

 evidently aware of the distinction thus placed upon them. 

 With some amount of poetic exaggeration this fact is 

 noted by Schiller, who says in * Wilhelm Tell,' 



See with what pride your steer his garland wears; 

 He knows himself the leader of the herd ; 

 But strip him of it, and he'd die of grief. 



With regard to the general intelligence of ruminants 

 I may first quote the following : 



The sagacity with which the bisons defend themselves 



