306 DARWINIANISM. 



a puppy, or a pig ever so much knowledge in its instinct, 

 to say so, as even blindly, mechanically, to contemplate 

 the effects of a squeeze? Then, do the other animals, 

 dog, pig, etc., like the cat, pound ? or why does the cat 

 itself, even while pounding, stick its claws into the soft 

 substance and lift, or even tear it, with them ? 



Mr. Darwin brings in, precisely in the same sort of 

 way, our old friend the dog who must always turn 

 himself round and round to trample down the imaginary 

 reeds that baulk his couch. It is difficult or impossible 

 actually to enter into the dog's mind to discover why 

 he acts so ; and he certainly does not always act so. 

 I am sure I have seen a butcher's dog flop down quite 

 contentedly against the wall at the side of his master's 

 door ; and I am also sure that I have seen a grocer's dog 

 similarly sink down without a turn, and equally con- 

 tentedly, on his master's doorstep. I have likewise 

 seen an old horse on a common turn, and turn again, 

 and yet again, before trusting his flank to the grass. In 

 fact both men and animals find it natural to fall on 

 some facilitating preliminary before coming to an act. 

 Did ever anybody see a man cross a street at right 

 angles unless he had to look to his footing ? Animals 

 necessarily crouch before a spring, just as we take a run 

 before a jump ; and that is just what determines one of 

 two dogs who are going to meet, to lie down. So far 

 Mr. Darwin is in accord ; but does he not see farther 

 that the latter dog so acts only by the way of playfully 

 seeming surprise, knowing well all the time that there is 

 never a pretence of concealment for either the one or 

 the other ? 



Why, then, all these elucidatory ambages, seeing that 

 explanation by direct first intentions is much more 

 satisfactory than by any indirect second ones ? So it is 

 with the pointer's uplifted paw, with cats and 



