144 THOSE OTHER ANIMALS. 



speak, but they certainly understand much of human 

 speech, and learn to read the wishes of their masters at a 

 glance. Negroes attain to the point of being able to preach 

 sermons a low test of intellectuality certainly, but still a 

 proof of some intelligence. 



It' is difficult to believe, then, that the sheep can have 

 deteriorated mentally from contact with civilisation, and it 

 must be assumed that any supposed sharpness of the crea- 

 ture in its wild state must be due solely to the fact that it 

 is difficult to approach, and crafty in eluding pursuit. But 

 in these qualities the domestic flea is surely its superior ; 

 and most insects, either by feigning death, by speed in 

 running or flying, or by tricks of hiding themselves from 

 observation, show higher powers of self-preservation than 

 the most enthusiastic admirers of the sheep can claim for it. 

 It is true that the sheep makes up for its lack of intelligence 

 by its preternatural gravity and thoughtfulness of demeanour. 

 Were every quadruped half as wise as the sheep looks, it is 

 clear that the dominion of man over the animal creation 

 would be played out. The ovine vocabulary is limited. 

 The sheep has, in fact, but one sound, which it is so proud 

 of that it is continually making it. Whether calling its 

 offspring, or protesting against being driven along a high 

 road, or as an utterance of opinion as to the appearance 

 and speed of a passing railway train, it raises this cry with 

 precisely the same inflection and vigour. 



Attentive observers have been of opinion that, like the 

 dog and cat, the sheep expresses emotion by different move- 

 ments of its tail ; but none have attempted to classify these 

 varieties of motion or to analyse the emotion contained 

 by them. Like most timid creatures the sheep is crassly 



