WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE? 179 



of the animals, say there is no doubt but that these beaver 

 lakes will be of great practical value." 



The brain cells of the animals are not so numerous as 

 they are in the human being. They are more simple and 

 not likely to get mixed up with each other's business. 



We pass through life without taking any notice of the 

 keen intelligence displayed by the birds and animals, as 

 far as it pertains to their life. You all remember how the 

 prairie plover and the prairie chicken and partridge will 

 act when you approach them on their nest. They will 

 first sneak off to one side of the nest as far as possible, 

 then pretend they are wounded, as if they had a broken 

 leg or wing. It fooled me at first to such an extent that 

 I did not find their nest when I went back to look for it, 

 as I followed them too far before I got wise to their trick. 

 I noticed that my dog did not get wise, as he would chase 

 them every time as far as he could. The manner in which 

 they will simulate a broken wing or leg is certainly per- 

 fect. Sometimes one wing will hang down loose to one 

 side just as if it were dead. You never hear any one men- 

 tion this common trick practiced by birds to fool other 

 animals. A trick is described in the following article 

 which I read the other day, which is identically the same 

 trick as practiced by the birds : 



"Two boys, one the possessor of a permit, were fishing 

 on a certain estate when a gamekeeper suddenly darted 

 from a thicket. The lad with the permit uttered a cry of 

 fright, dropped his rod and ran off at top speed. The 

 gamekeeper was led a swift chase. Then, worn out, the 

 boy halted. The man seized him by the arm and said be- 

 tween pants : 



"Have you a permit to fish on this estate?" 



"Yes, to be sure," said the boy quietly. 



"You have? Then show it to me." 



