44. ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 
views I have on more than one occasion expressed 
before you. 
Several members stated that they had noticed that 
horses have a special dread of bears, and could scent 
them at a great distance. Some horses were also afraid 
of a fur coat. No one, however, seemed to be able to 
explain why this fear should attach to bears more than 
to other ferocious animals; one would expect, in fact, 
that there would be much more danger to the horse 
from wolves than bears. Is this the remnant of a 
once powerful instinctive fear? At a later meeting 
Mr Dawes continued the subject of equine psychology. 
He explained that a mare in his possession had learned 
to overcome, in succession, different mechanical con- 
trivances, such as buttons, fastenings, ete., which had 
been placed on the feed-box to prevent its being opened. 
Mr Dawes also instanced the behaviour of one of his 
horses, which showed considerable intelligent association 
of ideas. This animal was accustomed to being driven 
to the railroad station, and on certain occasions, on 
hearing the whistle of the approaching train, had 
started off on his own account, and after the train had 
left he had returned home. The ability of horses to 
remember incidents, sometimes trivial, after the lapse 
of years, was testified to by several members. 
Mr Ferron has also favoured us with some interesting 
facts in regard to the intelligence of trotting horses ; 
and the Principal of the College has pointed out 
instances of equine sagacity of a very striking kind. 
Horses had even come to the College hospital for treat- 
ment of their own accord. While all our domestic 
animals amply repay good treatment, of none is this 
more true than of the horse. _To take advantage of 
this animal’s gentle, sensitive, plastic nature to subject 
it to abuse, is the part only of a savage, and not of a 
civilised human being. It is not to be forgotten that 
