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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



to the derivation of stoat. Some connect it with the 

 Belgic stout, bold ; in Stormonth's English Diction- 

 ary I find "stoat (from a supposed analogy to a 

 stallion-horse ; Dut. Stuyte ; A. S. Stodhors, a 

 stallion or studhorse.") Something as to the times 

 and causes of the stoat's becoming white would be 

 interesting. Some authors seem to speak as though 

 •the stoat were never white in England, but only 

 farther north. — John Howell, M.A., Ingleby Vicarage, 

 Northallerton. 



Slow- Worms and Snakes. — Having kept many 

 of both of these reptiles, I think I may safely give the 

 results of my experience. With regard to feeding, I 

 believe the slow-worm will not eat anything but white 

 slugs and worms, preferring the former. The snake 

 feeds on frogs and newts and tadpoles ; occasionally 

 I have had them take mice, bread and milk, fish and 

 insects ; but I think these are exceptional cases, 

 and they do not thrive so well as when fed on 

 frogs and newts. They should both be kept in light 

 and airy cases, with a saucer of water for drinking and 

 bathing. A piece of turf is also beneficial ; and the 

 box should be so arranged that they can get sun or 

 shade as they like. They both, especially snakes, 

 like a strong-stemmed plant to climb about in. — 

 H. C. Brooke. 



Mind in the Lower Animals. — I wish to 

 answer some of Dr. Keegan's questions. When I say 

 the word " Biscuits " (which is equivalent to meat), 

 the dog does get up and beg. When I whisper the 

 word "Cats," the dog does go where cats are likely 

 to be found. Another dog, if the word " Mouse " be 

 uttered, straightway rushes to a cupboard where he 

 caught a mouse a long time ago ; while, if " Sugar" 

 be said, he dances around one expecting that favourite 

 luxury. When I say, "Out for a walk?" the dog 

 straightway rushes to the hall door ; if I shake my 

 head, he runs to the other way out. I have often 

 tried the " crucial experiment" of taking a dog upon 

 my knees and saying to it, "You're a stupid," or 

 " You're a beast," as if it was something very excit- 

 ing. The dog looked at me in a vague way, as if it 

 would like to understand me. If, however, I say or 

 whisper in a slow and measured tone, " Do you want 

 to go out for a walk?" the dog instantly is very 

 excited and rushes to the door. I have often stopped 

 short at "Do you want to — " ; the dog looks very 

 eager, for those words always precede something 

 pleasant, but it is not till the words " Out for a walk " 

 are spoken that he gives way to his delight. I intend 

 to try the experiment of exciting the dog by saying 

 " Do you want to — " and then to inquire if it wishes 

 to be whipped ; if it manifests delight and runs to the 

 door or to the biscuit cupboard, I shall admit that 

 Dr. Keegan has proved his point. If, as I expect, it 

 attaches no idea to the words, "Do you want to be 

 whipped ? " I shall consider that Dr. Keegan must 

 give a fuller explanation than he has yet given. — 

 A. Dixon, Trinity College, Cambridge. 



Mind in Animals. — In the article "Mind in 

 the Lower Animals," in the April number of 

 Science-Gossip, the writer seems to think that 

 animals are quite devoid of reason (the power of 

 thought). I have always been fond of animals of all 

 sorts, and I must say that as far as my knowledge 

 goes I have found many cases which make me think 

 the contrary. One instance which came under my 

 notice was in connection with .a black and white 

 rat ; as the writer mentions his cats and dogs as 

 lower animals, I think I may be pardoned if I call a 

 rat a lower animal. The incident in question was as 



follows : — A friend of mine had a pair of rats, which 

 he kept in a large wooden cage. This cage was some- 

 times hung outside on a nail driven into the wall, but 

 more frequently was kept indoors. Some little time 

 before the event I am about to relate happened, the 

 mother rat brought into the world four very hand- 

 some young ones, in which she had great pride. One 

 day when the cage was in the garden, a sudden 

 shower of rain came on, and we went into the garden 

 to fetch the cage in. Noticing some small particles 

 of wool sticking out of a small hole in the roof of the 

 cage just over the nesting-place in which the young rats 

 were, my friend opened the door of that compartment 

 (which for ventilation had a few bars of wire across, 

 in place of the wood which had been cut away). On 

 doing so he found the mother fixed with her feet on 

 to the door, so that part of her side and back rested 

 against the hole ; and not only this, but she had poked 

 some wool from the nest into the hole, but finding 

 this not enough to keep her young from getting wet, 

 she had placed herself in the position we found her 

 in. Now, I think that this shows that the poor 

 mother, finding her young getting wet, had thought 

 out the cause, and came to the conclusion that the 

 water came through that hole, and that therefore 

 something must be done to stop the inflow of water 

 from that hole. At any risk she therefore, with 

 something more I think than instinct, first tried to 

 stop it with wool ; but finding this of no avail, she 

 acted with true mother's love, which is always ready to 

 sacrifice its own comfort to that of her children. I 

 think this proves that animals not only think, but are 

 capable of acting on their thoughts. Should you 

 think it worth while, I shall be happy to send you 

 some more incidents of like nature. — A. G. Poiuis. 



Mind among the Lower Animals. — Though 

 recognising the merit of Dr. P. Quin Keegan's 

 paper on the above subject, I must admit that I 

 cannot agree with all his assertions ; and without 

 attempting to refute his logic, yet should like to hear 

 his views upon the following instance of equine 

 sagacity. A few days since I had occasion to avail 

 myself of the tramway in order to proceed from the 

 centre of the town to a suburb. I entered the car, 

 and the horse started away merrily until we came to 

 a place where the line branches, one line of rails 

 running about east and the other north. The car I 

 was seated on should have kept on the east line, but the 

 horse decidedly refused to proceed in that direction ; 

 in fact used every endeavour to get on to the north 

 line. The whip, coaxing, patting, and leading were 

 alike brought to bear upon the animal, but without 

 success. As soon as the leader left the animal's head 

 he again endeavoured to proceed northwards ; and 

 it was only after a delay of some minutes and a 

 thorough good thrashing, combined with a strong arm 

 at his head, that he was persuaded that eastward he 

 must go. I inquired the reason of his obstinacy, and 

 was informed by the conductor that each horse had a 

 certain number of runs to make (eastward), when he 

 then took the car along the north line (at the end of 

 which are the company's stables), and that at the 

 terminus of that line a change of horses was effected. 

 The conductor further explained that they were 

 short of horses that day, and had to make an extra 

 journey : this, he said, the horse objected to (no doubt 

 wanting his corn), and that it was not the first time 

 they had had the same trouble with him. Dr. Keegan 

 states, nay asserts, that the lower animals cannot 

 perform the simplest feat of mental arithmetic, and 

 that any problem which requires for its solution 

 that several reminiscences must be conjured up at 

 will is utterly beyond the scope and resources of 



