198 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELDORNE. 



LETTER XXIV. 



SELBORNE, Aug. 15^, 1775. 



DEAR SIR, There is a wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute 

 creation, independent of sexnal attachment : the congregating of 

 gregarious birds in the winter is a remarkable instance. 



Many horses, though quiet with company, will not stay one 

 minute in a field by themselves : the strongest fences cannot 

 restrain them. My neighbour'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 impatience, and endeavour- 

 ing to break the rack and manger with his fore feet. He has 

 been known to leap out at a stable-window, through which dung 

 was thrown, after company ; and yet in other respects is remark- 

 ably 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 constantly 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 a-field, 

 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 ensues ; 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 fellowship. 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 incongruous animals spent much 

 of their time together in a lonely orchard, where they saw no 

 creature but each other. By degrees an apparent regard began to 

 take place between these two sequestered individuals. The fowl 



