228 NATURAL HISTORY 
strongest fences cannot restrain them. My neigh 
bour’s horse will not only not stay by himself 
abroad, but he will not bear to be left alone in a 
strange stable without discovering the utmost impa- 
tience, and endeavouring to break the rack and 
manger with his fore feet. He has been known to 
leap ovt at a stable window through which dung 
was thrown after company, and yet in other re- 
spects is remarkably quiet. Oxen and cows will 
not fatten by themselves, but will neglect the finest 
pasture that is not recommended by society. It 
would be needless to instance in sheep, which con- 
stantly flock together. 
But this propensity seems not to be confined to 
animals of the same species; for we know a doe, 
still alive, that was brought up from a little fawn 
with a dairy of cows; with them it goes afield, 
and with them it returns to the yard. The dogs 
of the house take no notice of this deer, being used 
to her; but, if strange dogs come by, a chase en- 
sues; while the master smiles to see his favourite 
securely leading her pursuers over hedge, or gate, 
or stile, till she returns to the cows, who, with fierce 
lowings and menacing horns, drive the assailants 
quite out of the pasture. 
Even great disparity of kind and size does not 
always prevent social advances and mutual tellow- 
ship. For a very intelligent and observant person 
has assured me that, in the former part of his life 
keeping but one horse, he happened also on a time 
to have but one solitary hen. ‘These two incon. 
gruous animals spent much of their time together 
in a lonely orchard, where they saw no creature 
but each other. By degrees, an apparent regard 
