144 The Scottish Naturalist. 



Insanity in cows, cats, and other animals, supposed due to witch- 

 craft. You will find these cases in Dalzell's " Darker Supersti- 

 tions of Scotland," a book in all public libraries. In all pro- 

 bability my paper will appear in the "Journal of Mental 

 Science " for October,* and will contain these instances of In- 

 sanity among the lower animals. Of course their scientific 

 value is small, but these cases might be used by you for 

 literary ornamentation." 



According to a newspaper notice of his admirable volumes 

 of " Etudes sur les Facultes mentales des Animaux comparees 

 a celles de F Homme," published in Belgium in 1872, " Mons. 

 Houzeau maintains that not only does each group of animals 

 possess a language, which is understood by other members of 

 the same group, but that they can learn to understand -the 

 language of other groups. His dogs, for instance, perfectly 

 understood his poultry. Cocks and hens have one danger 

 signal for the approach of a bird of prey ; another for that of a 

 terrestrial animal or for a man. When the latter was sounded, 

 the dogs would rush out and bark ; while to the former they 

 paid no attention whatever. He therefore concludes that fowls 

 have the power of expressing slightly different but closely allied 

 ideas, and that dogs can learn to understand these differences." 



In old historical works there are occasional descriptions of 

 singular events illustrative of peculiarities in animal life : 

 descriptions that are interesting as directing attention to the 

 desirability of observing and recording any similar incidents at 

 the present day. For instance, in certain " Memorabilia of the 

 Seventeenth Century " in Britain, contained in " Chambers's 

 Papers for the People" (No. 12), I find the following account of 

 a remarkable Bird-Battle. I cite it not for the purpose of 

 basing any remarks on the facts asserted, but simply in order 

 to point out the propriety of recording, in such media as the 

 Scottish Naturalist, accounts by competent observers — and 

 properly authenticated — of any such occurrences as may happen 

 now — in these our own times — in our own country. 



" In October 162 1, a most remarkable Battle oi Starlings was 

 fought over the city of Cork, frightening the citizens out of their 

 wits, and inspiring the whole country with terror and wonder as 



* It duly appeared, and maybe consulted in vol. xix, 1874, p. 386, of the 

 said Journal. 



