II 



DOG-LOGIC 



A SHEEP-DOG'S POWER OF EEASONING 



AN Irish farmer owned a few years ago a large English 

 black-and-tan sheep-dog who at times displayed a wonder- 

 ful amount of intelligent reasoning power. Adjoining the 

 farm-steading was a grass-field devoted to the fowls, in 

 one corner of which was the fowl-house a large shed open 

 at one end. The corn-stacks were also in this field. One 

 day corn-threshing was being proceeded with, a load at a 

 time being brought into the barn. The hens were, of 

 course, very busy between loads about the stack, picking 

 up the falling pickles, legitimately so, until the stack got 

 BO low that they could conveniently fly up and indulge 

 themselves without stint. It not being convenient to place 

 anyone to guard the stack, the farmer had a serious talk 

 with his dog a not unusual thing pointing to the hens 

 and telling him that they ought not to be on the stack, say- 

 ing : " Now, look here, Bruno, I want you to keep these 

 hens off that stack [pointing to it] ; please attend." Bruno 

 evidently took it all in, and with scrupulous care dis- 

 charged the allotted task. The following day this same 

 duty was allotted to him. He discharged it while neces- 

 sary between the loads with seemingly conscientious care, 

 up till about two o'clock in the afternoon, at which time 

 of day it was not an unusual thing for him to visit neigh- 

 bouring doggies, sometimes bringing one of them home 

 with him to supper. You see, he was not only socially 

 but hospitably inclined. On this second day, about the 

 hour named, he evidently remembered that he had a social 



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