OF NATURAL HISTORY. 457 



There is a dog at prefent belonging to a grocer in Edin- 

 burgh, who has for fome time amiifed and aftoniflied the 

 people in the neighbourhood. A man who goes through 

 the ftreets ringing a bell and felling penny pies, happened 

 one day to treat this dog with a pye. The next time he 

 heard the pyeman's bell, he ran to him with impetuoiity, 

 feized him by the coat, and would not fuiFer him to pafs. 

 The pyeman, who underftood what the animal wanted, fliov;- 

 ed him a penny, and pointed to his mafter, who llood in the 

 ftreet-door, and faw what was going on. The dog immedi- 

 ately fupplicated his mafter by many humble geftures and 

 looks. The mafter put a penny into the dog's mouth, which 

 he inftantly delivered to the pyeman, and received his pye. 

 This traiEck between the pyeman and the grocer's dog has 

 been daily pra<Sl:ifed for months paft, and ftill continues. 



Dogs, horfes, and even hogs, by rewards and puniftiments, 

 and, I am afraid, often by cruelty, may be taught to perform 

 actions, as we have frequently feen in public exhibitions, 

 which are truly aftonifhing. But of thefe we mufl not enter 

 into any detail. 



With regard to the horfe, the gentlenefs of his difpoft ^ 

 tions, and the docility of his temper, are fo well and fo uni~ 

 verfally known, that it is unneceflary to dwell long upon the 

 fubje£l. To give fome idea of what inftru(Stion horfes re- 

 ceive when in a domeftic ftate, we ihall mention fome traits 

 of their form and manners when under no reftraints. In 

 South America the horfes have multiplied prodigioufly, and, 

 in that 'thinly inhabited country, live in perfect freedom. 

 They fly from the prefence of man. They wander about in 

 troops, and devour, in immenfe meadows, the producStions of 

 a perpetual fpring. Wild horfes are ftronger, Hghter, and 

 more nervous, than the generality of thofe which are kept 

 in a domeftic ftate. They are by no means ferocious. 

 Though fuperior in ftrcngth to moft animals, they never 



