INTELLECT IN LOWER ANIMALS.* 



BY SANFORD OMENSETTER. 



The subject of intellect in lower animals is a matter too 

 broad to be comprehensively treated in such a paper as might 

 here be presented. That brutes to a certain extent do reason, 

 that the limit of their mental processes is largely a question 

 of environment, and that their brain power may be improved 

 under patient training, are propositions the truth of which is 

 readily admitted by the observant. The only perceptible dif- 

 ference between the reasoning power of men and animals is, 

 that the latter is applied usually to the limited idea of provid- 

 ing for their bodily wants, whereas that of men is put to a 

 vast amount of uses. We may cite a number of instances to 

 prove that in the lower orders the principle of intellectuality 

 is present in larger degree than we might suppose. 



Probably no animal has been of greater service to man- 

 kind than the horse. While not so intelligent as any of the 

 larger flesh eaters, his sagacity, if we except the elephant, 

 seems greater than that of any ruminant, or other herbivo- 

 rous quadruped. The steeds of Arabia are justly celebrated 

 for their beauty, while their devotion to their masters has 

 been the theme of many a song and story. No instance of 

 greater loyalty, however, than the following from the pen of 

 Professor Claypole, of Antioch College, Ohio, can be shown : 

 " A friend of mine is employed on a farm near Toronto, 

 Canada, where a horse belonging to the wife of the farmer is 

 never required to work, but is allowed to live the life of a 

 gentleman for the following reason. Some years ago the lady 

 above mentioned fell from a plank bridge into a stream where 

 the water was deep. The horse, which was feeding in a field 

 close by, ran to the spot and held her up by his teeth until 

 assistance arrived, thus probably saving her life." 



Concerning a less desirable trait in that much maligned 



* Paper read before the Inslilute. 



