BREAKING AND HANDLING. 275 



(and therefore its absence being distinctly unlike the fac- 

 ulty of man) was very commonly observed; the fact that he 

 could acquire knowledge by individual experience was ob- 

 served by but a few. It was an easy deduction that, if he 

 could not have a full cognition like mankind, he could not 

 have any at all. After having acquired knowledge by di- 

 rect experience he has quite an admirable reasoning ability. 

 Having individual experiences every day, and a multitude 

 of very complex experiences in pursuit of game, he gathers 

 a vast amount of abstract knowledge from his direct expe- 

 riences which he applies with an accuracy which denotes an 

 understanding of means to ends. In referring to these in- 

 telligent acts, those who deny other than instinctive acts to 

 the dog are unable to frame a language that is consistent 

 with their belief; they are forced to use terms relating to 

 reason. They properly speak of a dog's judgment in con- 

 ducting his work; his quickness in learning; his knowledge 

 of how to apply his training, etc. 



To perceive a present cause and effect would not be very 

 advantageous if no record could be kept of it in the mind. 

 The dog has a memory and retains an intelligent cognition 

 of his experiences. Innumerable instances of memory 

 could be cited, but it is a fact so commonly known that it 

 needs no proof. One or two, however, will be advanced. 

 The fact that a trained dog shows the greatest delight when 

 he sees his owner put on his hunting coat, take a gun in 

 hand, or make other preparations significant of a hunt, 

 shows an understanding and a memory. When a start is 

 made he may lead the way to the fields, whereas, ordinarily, 

 he might lead the way to the main road. Such act has the 

 full implication of knowledge, the " something known and 

 the something which knows." The memory of experiences 

 of former states of consciousness and a comprehension of 

 their purposes constitutes abstract knowledge. The appli- 



