144 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



that in selecting pigs for education it was his practice to 

 choose those characterized by a considerable width between 

 the eyes and whose skulls projected in this part of their 

 periphery to a more than usual degree. He said that from 

 many experiments he was satisfieei that there was a very great 

 difference in the capacity of the animals to receive training, 

 and that the above-mentioned indices afforded him sufficient 

 guidance in his choice. 



In the exhibition about to be described there were but 

 three persons present, myself, another spectator, and the 

 showman. A score of cards were placed upon the ground, 

 each bearine a numeral or the name of some distincruished 

 person. These cards were in perfect disorder. I was 

 allowed, indeed, repeatedly to change their position and to 

 mix them up as I pleased. The pig was then told to pick out 

 the name of Abraham Lincoln and brine it to his master. 

 This he readily did. He was asked in what year Lincoln 

 was assassinated. He slowly but without correction brought 

 one by one the appropriate numerals and put them on the 

 ground in due order. Half a dozen other questions concern- 

 ing names and dates were answered in a similar way. Each 

 success was rewarded with a grain of corn, and for his failures 

 the creature received a reasonable drubbing. It was evident 

 that the animal had to consider in making his choice of the 

 cards. At times he was evidently much puzzled and would 

 indicate his perplexity by squealing. 



It seemed clear that the master of this learned pig did not 

 guide the movements of the animal by other indications than 

 words. The questions, in some cases, had to be reiterated in 

 a loud voice in order to insure attention. Several times dur- 

 ing the performance the pig rebelled, broke from the tent, 



