DOMESTIC ANIMALS 111 



themselves. It is very easy to make a pet out of a pig, 

 so that it will follow its master everywhere, and pigs have 

 been taught to do things which a horse would scarcely 

 learn. Had man at all tried to develop the natural intelli- 

 gence of these animals by careful breeding, our pigs might 

 be as intelligent now as our best dogs. I have personally 

 witnessed the following instance of our porker's wits. 

 When a boy, I was bidden with several companions 

 to keep the pigs off a certain meadow. Our task was 

 not an arduous one ; for the pigs had to cross, on a single 

 plank, a creek, which was about ten feet wide and had 

 high banks and a muddy bottom. But one old sow had 

 already discovered this secret path, and it was not long 

 before we saw her feeding on the juicy grass of the for- 

 bidden meadow. Three or four of us, all provided with 

 whips and switches, crossed the creek. We had a plan 

 to catch the old thing and "to give it to her." After 

 we had turned the plank on edge, we approached the 

 animal as near as possible and then rushed at her. Being 

 of the common, fleet-footed breed of the country, she easily 

 outran us. All of us were much amused at the pre- 

 dicament in which we had the old grunter ; we were sure 

 she would stop at the creek. When she reached the plank, 

 she did stop and, for an instant, looked puzzled ; but in 

 much less time than it takes to tell it, she had solved the 

 problem. With one quick push of her snout she turned the 

 plank on its flat side and ran across. Although we were not 

 more than about fifteen feet behind the animal, not one of 

 us had a chance to use his switch, so quick was the hog to 

 see through our contrivance. I must say that the surprise 

 was nearly all on our side, and that it took some time before 

 we realized that a group of " smart " boys had been simply 

 outwitted by a sow. Pigs show a great deal of sympathy with 

 their own kind. If one utters the characteristic cry of dis- 



