332 The Scottish Naturalist. 



Natural History, but which no reasonable man, with any know- 

 ledge of the subject on which he was writing, would be induced 

 to receive" (preface, p. vi.) One of the stories that stagger his 

 credulity relates to a sagacious Donkey, that not only opened 

 a certain gate, but " cautiously shut it after him:" it also re- 

 fastened various other doors or gates. In another case, he 

 laughs at the idea of a man making a bargain with a Donkey, 

 to the effect that the latter was to keep to a given path in a 

 garden ; ridicules the notion of the animal reflecting on the 

 " circumstances which led to the discovery of his offence" — in- 

 truding, against orders, on certain flower-beds ; and scouts the 

 suggestion of an Ass — quadrupedal at least — profiting by its 

 own reflections, so as to endeavour to hide the evidences of his 

 guilt, by scraping the earth over his footmarks the next time 

 he walked on forbidden ground. Our critic goes the length of 

 asserting that man, experienced in the ways of animals, " never 

 saw or heard of an animal who had the wit to hide the Evi- 

 dences of its own Wrong-doing." 



Now, there are many perfectly well-authenticated instances, 

 both of— 



(i.) Horses, donkeys, cows, monkeys or apes, and other ani- 

 mals opening and shutting doors or gates. 

 (2.) Cats, dogs, and other animals hiding, or endeavouring 

 to hide, the Evidences of guilt or crime ; distinguishing 

 readily what is forbidden from what is permitted ; and 

 when they do what they know to be forbidden, trying 

 to frustrate detection of their felt disobedience or dis- 

 regard of a master's order or wish. 

 (3.) Dogs, horses, mules, cows, monkeys or apes, elephants, 

 and other animals being parties to Bargains with man ; 

 having a very distinct appreciation of the nature of the 

 work man calls upon them to perform ; reflecting on the 

 causes of failure or detection ; and profiting by Ex- 

 perience. 

 I have notes innumerable in illustration of all these mental 

 qualities or aptitudes ; but this is neither the proper time nor 

 place to introduce them. 



The author of " Wild Animals in Freedom and Captivity" is 

 therefore greatly in error when he says, for instance, " The con- 

 jecture that the Ass reflected on the cause which led to the 

 discovery of his Fault is as wonderfully absurd as that he at- 

 tempted to remove the Traces of his Misdoing" (preface, p. ix). 



