ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGY. 261 



volves the same form of reasoning, but covers a wider 

 range of facts. "An enormous tiger," he remarks, 

 "was extended full length upon a rock level with the 

 water, about forty paces from me. From time to time 

 he struck the water with his tail, and at the same 

 moment raised one of his fore paws and seized a fish, 

 often of an enormous size. These last, deceived by 

 the noise, and taking it for the fall of fresh fruit (of 

 which they are very fond), unsuspectingly approach, 

 and soon fall into the claws of the traitor."^ This 

 self taught device, founded upon a practical knowl- 

 edge of the habits of fish, displays the operation of 

 unfettered reason. If an analysis of the act were 

 made for the purpose of discovering the mental pro- 

 cesses involved, the formula and the result would be 

 precisely the same as if it had been a human act. 

 Reasoning upon the relations of causation must be of 

 perpetual recurrence in the lives of animals. It is 

 not conceivable that they could maintain their exist- 

 ence from day to day without this mental power. 



Dr. Kane relates a somewhat similar artifice of 

 his dog Grim to escape duty in harness. "Grim," 

 he says, " was an ancient dog : his teeth indicated 

 many winters, and his limbs, once splendid tractors 

 for the sledge, were now covered with warts and 

 ringbones. Somehow or other, when the dogs were 

 harnessing for a journey, 'Old Grim' was sure not 

 to be found; and upon one occasion, when he was 

 detected in hiding away in a cast-off barrel, he in- 

 continently became lame. Strange to say, he has 

 been lame ever since except when the team is away 



^ Valley of the Amazon. Part I., 312. 



