ANIMAL INTELLECT. II7 



servant, the mule, Professor Nipher, of Washington Univer- 

 sity, St. Louis, says : " A friend of mine living at Iowa City 

 had a mule, whose ingenuity in getting into mischief was 

 more than ordinarily remarkable. This animal had a great 

 liking for the company of an oat bin, and lost no opportun- 

 ity, when the yard gate and barn door were open, to secure a 

 mouthful of oats. Finally the mule was found in the barn 

 in the morning, and for a long time it was found impossible 

 to discover how he had come there. This went on for some 

 time, until the animal was caught in the act. It was found 

 that he had learned how to open the gate, reaching over the 

 fence to lift the latch, and then he effectually mystified his 

 masters by turning round and backing against it until it was 

 latched. He then proceeded to the barn door, and pulling 

 out the pin which held the door, it swung open of its own 

 accord. From the intelligence which this animal displayed 

 on many occasions, I am of the opinion that had not discovery 

 of his trick prevented, it would soon have occurred to him to 

 retrace his steps before daylight, in order to avoid the club- 

 bing which the stable boys gave him in the morning. It may 

 be added that this animal had enjoyed no unusual educational 

 advantages, and his pwners found it to their interest to dis- 

 courage his intellectual efforts as much as possible." 



With regard to the general intelligence of those animals 

 which chew the cud, this illustration, taken from Thompson's 

 " Passions of Animals," shows the tactics employed by the 

 vast herds of buffaloes which roamed the interior basin : — 

 "The sagacity with which the bisons defend themselves 

 against the attack of wolves is admirable. When they scent 

 the approach of a drove of these ravenous creatures, the herd 

 throws itself into the form of a circle, having the weakest 

 and the calves in the middle, and the strongest ranged on the 

 outside ; thus presenting an impenetrable front of horns." 



^The otter is an animal now almost extinct in Delaware 

 County. The fact of their being taught to catch fish and 

 bring them to their masters, shows no small degree of docility 



