THE RELIGION OF NATURE 



Similarly, in the fight between two cocks, 

 described above, the fugitive immediately became 

 the assailant on finding the pursuer checked, and 

 he naturally followed tactics which had answered 

 so well time after time. Yet we can hardly credit 

 him with sufficient intelligence to have designed the 

 trap for his opponent deliberately, since the other 

 a bird of the same species had not sufficient 

 intelligence after two or three experiences to duck 

 his head when he came to the bush. 



Here is yet another letter : " When I was a 

 small boy my brother bought a spaniel, which, on 

 arriving at our house, proved to be so savage that 

 it was necessarily chained up in an outhouse. So 

 vicious was it indeed, that the person who fed it 

 (I remember) put on leather woodcutter's gloves 

 before venturing to push the bowl of food within 

 the dog's reach. After having been chained up 

 for several days, somehow ' Dash ' managed to 

 break loose, and came into the kitchen with the 

 other dogs. Seeing him there, I thoughtlessly 

 patted him on the head. Instantly with a growl, 

 he sprang up and seized me by the arm. Having 

 on an apron with long sleeves I fortunately was 

 able to pull myself free without hurt, and bolted 

 into the back yard. Finding ' Dash ' did not 

 follow up the attack, I went to a water-trough and 

 began washing my hands. Presently, on looking 



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