54 WESLEY MILLS ON 



The study of the development of such acts as scratching and that next to be referred to 

 are very suggestive and instructive to the physiologist and psychologist. I call special 

 attention to this reflex and its psychic effects referred to in the diary on the 17th day, and 

 in the case of the Bedlington terriers on the 30th day. 



Wagging of the Tail. — The tail movements of the dog are so expressive that the history 

 of their development and the analysis of their meaning at the various stages of the evolution 

 of his life are of more than ordinary interest. They are to him what words are to mankind. 



It is notable that I hâve been unable to be positive as to the existence of any tail move- 

 ments during the period when the eyes are unopened, and this alone is significant of the 

 relatively low state of development at this period. The reader is referred to the records of 

 the 13th, 17th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 31st, 35th and 42nd days especially for notes that bear on 

 this subject. 



These movements, positions, etc., of the tail have been to me signs of great significance, 

 but I will leave the reader to draw his own conclusions. Certain it is they are characteristic 

 of certain stages of development, but if I were to go into full detail in reference to all they 

 have suggested this paper would become of inordinate length. It throws not a little light 

 on this subject to remember that a centre for tail movements has been demonstrated in the 

 cerebral cortex of the dog. 



SociahiUiij. — Of all animals known to us the dog is the most sociable. This he early 

 indicates by his tail, the expression of his face, his attitudes, locomotive movements, voice, 

 etc., and the reader is referred to the diary for evidences of a development of these charac- 

 teristics of his nature, especially as regards man, a development which is so rapid after about 

 the 30th to 40th day, that the puppy in a few weeks has become in this respect very like a 

 mature dog. 



Fright. — The diary contains references to this subject on the 26th, 33rd, 37th, 39th, etc., 

 days. After hearing is established, fright is easily caused through that sense, and apparently 

 much more readily than through vision at a very early period. At this time also concus- 

 sions as such are potent in producing fear. I regret that the influence of concussions was 

 not more fully tested during the blind period. I find that the Bedlington terriers were thus 

 alarmed on the 9th day. 



Though the phenomena witnessed when a puppy a day old is in danger of slipping oflt 

 a surface of support, suggest alarm on its part, I question whether the puppy is possessed 

 of enough consciousness so to speak to experience true fright. 



Yoice. — Puppies may and usually do cry (in a manner scarcely to be distinguished from 

 a kitten, so that mature dogs hearing it, bark, thinking cats are about) almost as soon as 

 born. Gradually this voice is changed to that which is characteristic of the dog. Before 

 barking in any form, growling in sleep, then in play, has been observed. They were heard 

 to bark in sleep before doing so when awake. Such use of the voice is reflex or similar 

 to reflex action. 



The diary contains the earliest observed use of the voice in various ways with the cir- 

 cumstances stated, and among others I call attention to the records for the 23rd, 27th, 35th, 

 42nd and 59th days. 



It will be noticed again that there is no proper use of the voice beyond crying during 

 the blind period, and that there is a development of growling in sleep, growling when 

 awake, barking (incipient as in older dogs) during sleep, probably in dreams, barking simply 



