SOME POPULAR ERRORS 



other case, of a fox-terrier, which accidentally 

 rang the bell one day, bringing the servant to 

 the door, and afterwards used to ring on purpose 

 when it wanted to be let out. 



I call both of these actions " instinctive " (for 

 want of a better word) because, although they are 

 undoubtedly " clever," they do not go beyond the 

 animal's natural power of taking the best advan- 

 tage of a connection of ideas. The return of the 

 cat through the gap had been witnessed before: 

 therefore it was to the gap that the slow dog, with 

 all the inherited cunning of a hunting animal, 

 went to wait for it. The opening of the door had 

 been observed to follow the ringing of the bell; 

 therefore the dog, knowing how to ring the bell, 

 procured the opening of the door. 



From my own experience I can tell a story of 

 even greater cleverness, I think, on the part of a 

 dog. 



I had two fox-terrier pups, brothers. One was a 

 clever little dog, like its mother, whom I called 

 " The Jester " ; the other was larger, a strong, 

 stupid, and ugly dog, like its father. It was called 

 " The Cad." A smaU bowl of food was brought 

 always for " The Jester," and a larger one for 

 " The Cad " ; but in India where this happened 

 dogs lead exciting lives and often the meal was 

 interrupted by hot pursuits of sneaking pariah 



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