122 OF INSTINCT. Sect. XVI. u. i. 



Though in this country horfes fhew little veftiges of policy, 

 yet in the deferts of Tartary, and Siberia, when hunted by the 

 Tartars they are feen to form a kind of community, fet watch- 

 es to prevent their being furprifed, and have commanders, who 

 dire£t, and haften their flight, Origin of Language, Vol. I. p. 

 212. In this country, where four or five horfes travel in a line, 

 the firft always points his ears forward, and the laft points his 

 backward, while the intermediate ones feem quite carelefs in this 

 refpecl ; which feems a part of policy to prevent furprife. As 

 all animals depend moft on the ear to apprize them of the ap- 

 proach of danger, the eye taking in only half the horizon at 

 ence, and horfes poflefs a great nicety of this fenfe ; as appears 

 from their mode of fighting, mentioned No. 8. 5. of this Sec- 

 tion, as well as by common obfervation. 



There are fome parts of a horfe, which he cannot conveni- 

 ently rub, when they itch, as about the moulder, which lie can 

 neither bite with his teeth, nor fcratch with his hind foot ; 

 when this part itches, he goes to another horfe, and gently bites 

 him in the part which he wifhes to be bitten, which is imme- 

 diately done by his intelligent friend. I once obferved a youn^ 

 foal thus bite its large mother, who did not choofe to drop the 

 grafs flie had in her mouth, and rubbed her nofe againft the 

 foal's neck inftead of biting it ; which evinces that lhe knew 

 the defign of her progeny, and was not governed by a neceflary 

 inftincl: to bite where (he was bitten. 



Many 0/ iur Ihrubs, which would otherwife afford an agree- 

 able food to hcrfes, are armed with thorns or prickles, which 

 fecure them from thofe animals ; as the holly, hawthorn, goofe- 

 berry, gorfe. In the extenfive moorlands of Staffordfhire, the 

 horfes have learnt to ftamp upon a gorfe-buffi with one of their 

 forefeet for a minute together, and when the points are broken, 

 they eat it without injury. The horfes in the new foreft in 

 Hampfhire are affirmed to do the fame by Mr. Gilpin. Foreft 

 Scenery, II. 25 1, and 1 12. Which is an art other horfes in the 

 fertile parts of the country do not poffefs, and prick their mouths 

 till they bleed, if they are induced by hunger or caprice to at- 

 tempt eating gorfe. 



Swine have a fenfe of touch as well as of fmell at the end of 

 their nofe, which they ufe as a hand, both to root up the foil, 

 ^and to turn over and examine objects of food, fomewhat like the 

 prcboicis of an elephant. As they require flicker from the 

 cold in this climate, they have learnt to collect draw in their 

 uths to make their neft, when the wind blows cold ; and to 

 cali their companions by repeated cries to afiift in the work, and 



1 to their warmth by their numerous bed-fellows. Hence 



thefe 



