532 DECEPTION. 



other animals is capable of being trained or developed to 

 wonderful perfection by man, so that they act or play their 

 parts on the dramatic stage in the same way that man him- 

 self does. Successful animal actors include bears, horses, 

 elephants and fleas, as well as dogs and certain birds, such 

 as the parrot. The dog, for instance, is capable of assuming 

 a great variety of characters. He makes pretence of death, 

 poisoning, wounds, recovery, dignity or humility, all with 

 equal ease. He engages in imaginary quarrels with perfect 

 control of temper and a thorough understanding of the 

 difference between the real and the fictitious. He exhibits 

 suitable feeling or expression, as well as gesture, attitude or 

 action, in his counterfeits, successfully simulating various 

 passions or emotions. Counterfeiting the passions such as 

 anger or rage in theatrical declamation or gesticulation 

 was one of the accomplishments of Lady Davies' parroquet. 

 Theatrical declamation is one of the many directions in which 

 the clever parrot that can speak has a manifest advantage 

 over the equally clever dog that cannot so express itself. 



The various tricks or feats of performing dogs, as they are 

 exhibited in the drawing-room, or on the public street, also 

 embody dramatic ability and display. Street beggars' dogs, 

 for instance, use all sorts of ingenious make-believe in their 

 benevolent tricks; they 'act' sometimes so cleverly that 

 their performances are entitled to rank as and they some- 

 times also reap the merited reward of a certain kind of 

 ' high art.' 



The whole phenomena then of theatrical or dramatic 

 representation by animals illustrate certain forms of feigning 

 or deception ; while, on the other hand, all kinds of feigning 

 in them may be regarded as pro tanto histrionic perform- 

 ances. 



The phenomena of imposture by animals, on each other or 

 on man, involve their taking due, or undue, or every advan- 

 tage, in their dupes or victims, of such various mental quali- 

 ties or states as ignorance, unpreparedness, fear, sympathy, 

 good nature, or other feelings or emotions. And this taking 

 advantage implies, in its turn, a knowledge of the value and 

 use of opportunity, with promptitude of action in rendering 

 it serviceable. 



