236 THE INTELLICxENCE OF MAMMALS 



My father, a physician, often rode to his patients on horse- 

 back, accompanied by a little dog. One day he dropped 

 his handkerchief on the road, and when he missed it he 

 turned to the dog and said, " Jollie, I have lost my hand- 

 kerchief, go and find it." The dog ran back half a mile 

 and brought it. I had a little dog that was very sensitive, 

 and I am confident that he understood what I said to a 

 remarkable degree. To demonstrate this, I would say to 

 the dog, " Moultke is one of the best dogs I ever had ; a 

 true friend, a faithful companion." At this he would wag 

 his tail and display every evidence of delight. Then, with- 

 out changing my tone, I would say, *' but he is getting old, 

 or lazy, and I think we must kill him," whereupon the tail 

 would drop and the little dog would steal away very much 

 dejected until recalled by my laughter. 



How much this dog understood is a question, but that 

 he had a limited understanding of English words I have 

 no doubt. Another dog, " Mac," acquired the habit of 

 going to church with the family, crawling into the pew and 

 snoring audibly. When one Sunday came around I told a 

 negro servant to lock Mac up, so that he would not dis- 

 grace us. On the following Sunday Mac stationed him- 

 self in the road in front of the house, and for the first 

 time would not come when called. He apparently re- 

 membered his last Sunday and determined to avoid 

 the disagreeable experience. This dog was a cat fighter. 

 I saw him defeated one day, watched him trot out of the 

 front door, traced him some distance to a friend's, and 

 presently saw him returning with the friend's bull terrier. 

 Mac led the way to the yard, and the combined forces 

 attacked the savage cat with success. Seemingly, this 



