APPENDIX. 2f>5 



of the pupil when angry. The jaws and coiUii^ nous parts 

 are too much ?pecialized for the serious purp^j^e ol seiz- 

 ing prey to be fitted for sucli piu-poses as they are in 

 man. There is no doubt ttint hounds habitually watch 

 the tails of those in front of them when drawing a 

 covert. If a faint drag is detected the tail of the finder 

 is at once set in motion, and the warmer the scent the 

 quicker does it wag. Others, seeing the signal, instantly 

 join, and there is an assemblage of waving tails before 

 tlie least whimper is heard. When the pack is at full 

 Qvy upon a scent the tails cease to wave^ but are car- 

 ried aloft in full view. 



THE QUESTION OP TAIL- WAGGING. 



The whole question of tail-wagging is a very inter- 

 esting one. xVll dogs wag their tails when pleased, and 

 the movement is generally understood by their human 

 associates as an intimation that they arc very happy. 

 The chief delight of wild dogs, as with modern hounds 

 and sporting dogs, is in the chase and its accompany- 

 ing excitement as consequences. When the presence of 

 game is first detected is invariably the time wlien tails 

 are wagged for the common good. The wagging is an 

 almost invariable accompaniment of this form of pleas* 



emotions when in a wild state, owing to some inoscula- 

 tion of the nervoiLS mechanism, w^hich at present we 

 cannot unravel; the association of pleasure and wag- 

 ging has become so inseparable that the movement 01 



