216 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



Hats have often attacked children who have been left 

 in a room by themselves ; and infants have even lost 

 their lives from the blood which their bites have caused 

 to flow. 



The following instance of sagacity deserves to be 

 recorded : ' During the great flood of 4th of September 

 1829, when the river Tyne was at its height, a number 

 of people were assembled on its margin. A swan ap- 

 peared with a black spot upon its plumage, which on its 

 nearer approach proved to be a live rat. It is probable 

 that the latter had been borne into the water by some 

 object, and observing the swan, had taken refuge on its 

 back for safety. As soon as the swan reached the land, 

 the rat leaped off and ran away/ 



Two ladies, friends of a near relative of my own, from 

 whom I received an account of the circumstance, were 

 walking in Regent Street, and were accosted by a man 

 who requested them to buy a beautiful little dog, covered 

 with long, white hair, which he carried in his arms. 

 Such things are not uncommon in that part of London, 

 and the ladies passed on without heeding him. He 

 followed, and repeated his entreaties, stating that as it 

 was the last he had to sell, they should have it at a 

 reasonable price. They looked at the animal ; it was 

 really an exquisite little creature, and they were at last 

 persuaded. The man took it home for them, received 

 his money, and left the dog in the arms of one of the 

 ladies. A short time elapsed, and the dog, which had 

 been very quiet in spite of a restless, bright eye, began 

 to show symptoms of uneasiness, and as he ran about 

 the room, exhibited some unusual movements, which 

 rather alarmed the fair purchasers. At last, to their 

 great dismay, the new dog ran squeaking up one of 



