DECEPTION. 531 



affected, pretended, or assumed. The meekness of the dog 

 under censure is frequently affected, and even ostentatious. 

 It is apt to feign misery under man's displeasure, especially 

 if this displeasure is unmerited. And by the constant repe- 

 tition of such acts of dissimulation it may become habitually 

 deceitful (Cobbe). A mock seriousness is not uncommon in 

 the parrot (' Animal World '). 



The stratagems, feints or ruses of many of the lower 

 animals frequently involve a high degree or kind of uncon- 

 scious dramatic action, of histrionic power or talent. The 

 Duke of Argyll has described the theatrical nature of the 

 feints of a common wild duck, to save its young, involving 

 mimickry of the condition of being helplessly wounded. 

 The partridge or the lapwing, in its feigning so as to protect 

 its young or nest, may be regarded as a successful and con- 

 summate actor. 



Romanes mentions a Skye terrier that, under his ridicule, 

 intentional and experimental, tried to deceive its master by 

 going through all the dramatic action of catching and killing 

 a supposed fly, and then assuming an air of success. But 

 when proof was shown that this action was known to be one 

 of pretence, when he saw his hypocrisy detected, ' he slunk 

 away under some furniture, evidently very much ashamed of 

 himself.' The dog and cat go through the semblance or 

 pretence of performing various other operations (Watson). 



The dog and certain other animals display their theatrical 

 aptitudes, however, in other more unmistakable ways. Thus 

 the dog engages for its own amusement, or that of its young, 

 and perhaps with its young, in impromptu dramas ; it enacts 

 charades of a sensational kind, with tragic fervour and 

 imaginary victims. With a distinct object in view, he has 

 no difficulty in enacting a scene.' Thus Watson describes 

 one that acted a fight outside his master's door, in order to 

 get his master to open the door to look out at or for the cause 

 of disturbance an opportunity that was at once seized to gain 

 the coveted admission to the house. Again, begging in the 

 dog is frequently an elaborate piece of acting. But it takes 

 care always not to hurt itself (Cobbe). 



And further, the histrionic power of the dog and many 



