DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 51 



which they evolved. They are survivals, which the 

 centuries of human selection have not been able 

 to iron out. In the wild life among the forests, 

 mountains, and prairies, surrounded by enemies 

 and pursued by wolfish wants, these instincts were 

 useful to the individual and the species. But in 

 the artificial conditions created by man, they are 

 not only useless, but often even injurious. 



This lesson treats chiefly of the vestigial in- 

 stincts of domesticated animals. The vestigial in- 

 stincts of 7nan will be taken up in lessons four and 

 five. 



4. Wild Survivals in Dogs. 



I will mention four vestigial instincts found in 

 dogs, namely, the hunting instinct, the ''sheep 

 killing" instinct, the instinct to turn round and 

 round before lying down, and the howling instinct. 



Dogs hunt, even when filled with food. Take 

 the gentlest collie for a walk. It will not follow 

 behind, nor walk by your side. It will be nosing 

 about here and there and scouring the thickets 

 and bank-sides to see what it can find. And if it 

 finds something it will run it down if possible and 

 take its life. A lamb or a calf will not do this. 



The dog is a made-over wolf. Its ancestors lived 

 on rabbits, birds, sheep, and other animals, which 

 they hunted down and slew with their teeth. But 

 the dog eats out of a bowl. The dog hunts because 

 its ancestors were hunters. It hunts in order to 

 exercise an instinct which is unprovided for in its 



