204 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



Similar remarks may be made as regards the 

 behaviour of the kitten towards the sand pan. This 

 little history illustrates, it seems to me, some of the 

 fundamental laws of all training and education, whether 

 applied to the human being or the lower animals.* 



The case is simpler as regards the latter, but not 

 wholly different, and observations of the kind made in 

 this case impress me more than ever with the import- 

 ance of attempting to give the fullest possible record of 

 every feature in the psychic development and the 

 physical development of those animals by which we are 

 surrounded. 



The history of the kitten's whole bearing towards 

 the book-shelves has been to me a most instructive 

 one. I have never witnessed such perseverance in 

 the accomplishment of an object in any young animal 



sound of watchman's rattle and ' penny squeakers.' It was a reductio 

 ad absurdum. 



"In 1872 and 1873 I reared two small broods of chicks by the aid of 

 a large tom-cat, Pedro, who acted as foster -parent, and in whose fur 

 they nestled when cold, and slept at night. When half- grown, or 

 less, they would run towards any cat, and were attracted by the voice 

 even if they did not see the animal, and would have been killed but 

 for the watchful aid of Pedro ; yet, they avoided all my hens, and took 

 refuge hastily with Pedro if a ' clucking ' or broody hen called them, 

 or a cock crowed near them ! " 



* Mr T. Mann Jones writes me as follows : " I was greatly pleased 

 to see you had noted the rise of the habit of cleanliness in the 

 kitten. I have given considerable attention to this in children, dogs, 

 and cats. I have been often surprised that no naturalist whose works 

 I have read had given the subject the attention it probably deserves. 

 From personal observation, and such information as I could get from 

 mothers and nurses, I have come to the provisional conclusion that 

 early self-control as to the sphincters, whether in man or animal, is a 

 pretty fair indication that the adult will possess more than average 

 self-control. What a difference in setting up 'cleanly' habits 

 corresponds with in later life of self-indulgence and ready acceptance 

 of every suggestion to mere instinctive action, i.e. we have a weak- 

 nerved animal more or less, though often a very obstinate one. 



" May I suggest a probably fresh field of observation in animal 

 psychology connected with this ? The efforts of the long-haired dogs 

 to avoid uncleanliness when suffering from diarrhoea. Punch avails 

 himself of a wire fence, using the second wire as a skirt holder, by 

 carefully adjusting his long fur on it, and the lower wire as a seat ! 

 . . . The plan answered. Great gratification followed." 



