INTRODUCTION. 9 



get a whole group of stories it becomes very 

 difficult to doubt that dogs may learn the 

 first principles of the science of exchange. 

 The Italian dog (page 59) which did the 

 narrator a service by fetching him cigars, 

 demanded payment in the shape of a penny, 

 and then used that penny by exchanging it 

 for a loaf, was far advanced in the practice 

 of Political Economy. He not only under- 

 stood and acted on an implied contract, 

 but realised the great fact at the back of 

 the currency. " What are guineas," said 

 Home Tooke, " but tickets for sheep and 

 oxen!" The Italian dog did not, like a 

 savage, say, " What is the use of copper to 

 me, I cannot eat it?" Instead, he perceived 

 that the piece of copper was a ticket for 

 bread. It should be noted too that this 

 dog, the dog called Hardy (page 57) and 

 others, were able to distinguish between 

 the pieces of copper given them. Again, 

 the Glasgow story (page 53) shows that a 

 dog can learn to realise that a halfpenny 

 will buy not merely one thing but several 

 things in fact, that the great advantage of 



