272 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Art. XXXII. — Inherited Instincts and Anecdotes of Domestic 



Animals. 



By Taylor White. 



[Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 16th October, 1899.] 



Owing to my residence in various parts of New Zealand in 

 the early days of the settlement of the country,, and my occu- 

 pation as a pioneer sheep-farmer in the days when boundary- 

 fences and subdivisions of properties were unknown, I have 

 had opportunities to observe the habits of our various domes- 

 ticated animals when placed amidst surroundings such as 

 were probably nearly akin to those formerly occupied by their 

 feral ancestors. In this paper I will endeavour to describe 

 certain customs and peculiar actions which some animals ex- 

 hibit when thus ranging over a large extent of land, seldom 

 interfered with by the herdsman or shepherd, which habits 

 are undoubtedly inherited from their one-time feral ancestors. 



The Horse. 



One of the most interesting sights of long ago would be the 

 hackney or riding stallion in charge of his herd of mares. 

 At any time during the year he would allow no males, 

 whether entire or otherwise, to come within sight of his 

 harem, and if any such came within view he would charge 

 out at a gallop to meet and fiercely bite them, tearing and 

 bruising away great patches of outer skin and hair the 

 breadth of a man's hand, and I have seen a large-sized geld- 

 ing fairly lifted up several inches from the ground by the skin 

 of his back as if held in a vice. When the assaulted animal 

 could break away, flying in grievous terror, he would be pur- 

 sued, and every now and again overtaken and bitten by the 

 cruel teeth, which on losing hold would clap together like cas- 

 tanets. It seemed to me that intense fear caused the fleeing 

 animal to lose a portion of his strength and fleetness, and his 

 follower by an extra spurt would come up to him. 



A chestnut entire, bred in Australia and imported to New 

 Zealand about the year 1858, was in my possession for ten 

 years, and was running in freedom with his mares during that 

 time. His name was Jersey, and he looked after his harem 

 with the greatest jealousy, with the single exception of a 

 small bay mare (Fanny), whom he drove away, and who had 

 to associate with a distant mob of colts and geldings ; never- 

 theless, she produced a foal each season. 



The horse, when collecting and driving his herd, is a grand 



