PSYCHICAL EVOLUTION 119 



lance, and devotion to duty, they are superior to 

 many men. At a word, or even a look, from its 

 master, the loyal collie will gather the sheep scat- 

 tered for miles around to the place designated, 

 and do it with such tact and expedition as to 

 command admiration. It has been said that if it 

 were not for this faithful and competent canine 

 the highlands of Scotland would be almost useless 

 for sheep-raising purposes, because of the greater 

 expense that would be entailed if men were em- 

 ployed. One collie will do the work of several 

 men, and will do it better, and the generous- 

 hearted creature pours out its services like water. 

 It requires no compensation except table refuse 

 and a straw bed. In South America sheep-dogs 

 are trained to act as shepherds and assume the 

 whole responsibility of tending the flock. ' It is a 

 common thing,' says Darwin, ' to meet a large 

 flock of sheep guarded by one or two dogs, at a 

 distance of some miles from any house or man.' 

 When the dogs get hungry, they come home for 

 food, but immediately return to the flock on being 

 fed. ' It is amusing,' remarks this writer, ' to 

 observe, when approaching a flock, how the dog 

 immediately advances barking, while the sheep 

 all close in his rear as around the oldest ram.' 



Romanes relates an incident which well illus- 

 trates the high character and intelligence of the 

 dog and its wonderful devotion to a trust. ' It 

 was a Scotch collie. Her master was in the habit 

 of consigning sheep to her charge without super- 

 vision. On this particular occasion he remained 



