FRIENDSHIP IN ANIMALS 69 



This book has birds for its subject, and we shall 

 get to something about them by-and-by : just now 

 I want to emphasize the fact of a feeling and union 

 among animals generally, which is in its nature 

 identical with what we call friendship in human beings. 

 The fact is more readily accepted when we treat of 

 mammals, just because they suckle their young and have 

 hair instead of feathers to clothe them. We, evolu- 

 tionists think, were hairy too in our far past, and some 

 mammals, like ourselves, have lost their hairy cover- 

 ing. That some animals are capable of a strong 

 affection for a human being or master is a fact familiar 

 to every one ; we think instantly of the dog in this 

 connexion ; the dog is indeed commonly described 

 as the " Friend of Man," but if the description implies 

 a superiority in this respect it is certainly unjust to 

 other species. 



An acquaintance of mine keeps a timber wolf as a 

 pet — the biggest, most powerful, probably the most 

 ferocious of all the numerous varieties of that terrible 

 beast. Yet his owner assures me that his wolf is as 

 much attached to him as any dog could be to a man, 

 that he would trust him as he would the most in- 

 telligent, affectionate, and gentlest-mannered dog. 

 Though so big, this wolf is privileged to lie on the 

 hearthrug at his feet, and if there are children about 

 they are permitted to sit on or roll over him, to pull 

 his ears and open his mighty mouth to look at his 

 fangs. It is true that the wolf is next door to the dog, 

 but the fox is not quite so near a neighbour although 



