i84 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY, 



That such relations should exist between the horse and the dog 

 seems natural enough ; but that a horse should be hail-fellow with a 

 hen appears too absurd to be true ; yet we have Gilbert White's word 

 for it that a horse, lacking more suitable companions, struck up a great 

 friendship with a hen, and displayed immense gratification when she 

 rubbed against his legs and clucked a greeting, while he moved about 

 with the greatest caution lest he might trample on his " little, little 

 friend." 



Colonel Montagu tells of a pointer which, after being well beaten 

 for killing a Chinese goose, was further punished by having the miu*- 

 dered bird tied to his neck — a penance that entailed his being con- 

 stantly attended by the defunct's relict. Whether he satisfied her that 

 he repented the cruel deed is more than we know ; but, after a little 

 while the pointer and the goose were on the best of terms, living under 

 the same roof, feeding out of one trough, occupying the same straw 

 bed ; and, when the dog went on duty in the field, the goose filled the 

 air with her lamentations for his absence. 



A New Zealand paper says : " There is a dog at Taupo and also a 

 young pig, and these two afibrd a curious example of animal sagacity 

 and confidence in the bona fides of each other. These two animals live 

 at the native pah on the opposite side of Tapuaeharuru, and the dog 

 discovered some happy hunting-grounds on the other side, and informed 

 the pig. The pig, being only two months old, informed the dog that 

 he could not swim across the river, which at that sjDot debouches from 

 the lake, but that in time he hoped to share the adventures of his canine 

 friend. The dog settled the difficulty. He went into the river, stand- 

 ing up to his neck in water, and crouched down ; the pig got on his 

 back, clasping his neck with his forelegs. The dog then swam across, 

 thus carrying his chum over. Regularly every morning the two would 

 in this way go across and forage around Tapuaeharuru, returning to the 

 pah at night ; and, if the dog was ready to go home before the pig, he 

 would wait till his friend came down to be ferried over. The truth of 

 this story is vouched for by several w'ho have watched the movements 

 of the pair for some weeks past." 



When Cowper cautiously introduced Puss — a hare that had never 

 seen a spaniel — to Marquis — a spaniel that had never seen a hare — he 

 discovered no token of fear in the one, no sign of hostility in the other, 

 and the new acquaintances were soon in all respects sociable and 

 friendly — a proof, the poet thought, that there was no natural antipathy 

 between dog and hare. Upon just as good grounds the same might be 

 inferred regarding dog and fox. We have read of a tame fox hunting 

 with a pack of harriers ; and Mr. Moffat, of Bearsley, Northumberland, 

 owned one that was excessively fond of canine society. In consequence 

 of detection following a raid on the poultry-yard, Master Rej'nard was 

 chained up in a grass area. Whenever he caught sight of a dog com- 

 ing his way, he began fanning his tail, and, laying back his ears, would 



