PECULIAR SOUNDS OF ANIMALS. 153 



The mother's call 



Is heard repeated oft, a plaintive note ! 

 Mournful she gathers in her brood, dispersed 

 By savage sport, and o'er the remnant spreads 

 Fondly her wings. 



But the language of the Dog is, perhaps, the 

 most expressive of any animal, and to this he 

 adds the language of the eyes. Much of this 

 is acquired, no doubt, by associating with man, 

 from whom he learns to obey signals, and cer- 

 tain words of command. He modulates his tones 

 according to circumstances, whether of anger, 

 pleasure, grief, or warning, howls on hearing dis- 

 cordant sounds, whines for admission when shut 

 out of a room or house, and looks with the fondest 

 love and affection at his master. He shews his 

 gratitude in a way not to be mistaken, and nothing 

 can shake his fidelity and attachment. A kennel 

 might have been seen at Brussels, placed in a par- 

 ticular situation, for a dog which could never be 

 induced to quit the spot, where his master had been 

 murdered. There are also instances on record 

 of dogs frequenting the doors of prisons, to which 

 their masters had been committed, and waiting 

 patiently from day to day in expectation of their 

 release. 



The Cat has several different and significant 

 tones, most of them harsh and unpleasing. It 

 shews attachment by purring and gentle mewings, 

 2 H 



