CAT— GENEKAL INTELLIGENCE. 423 



by knockers undoubtedly are, I think they are siurpassed 

 by other cases in which the instrument used is the bell. 

 For here it is not merely that cats perfectly well under- 

 stand the use of bells as calls,^ but I have one or two cases 

 of cats jumping at hell-wires passing from outside into 



* Some of my correspondents tell me of pet or drawing-room cats 

 jumping on chairs and looking at bells when they want milk — this being 

 their sign that they want the bell pulled to call the servant who brings 

 the milk ; and Mr. Lawson Tait tells me that one of his cats — of course 

 without tuition — has gone a step further, in that she places her paws 

 upon the bell as a still more emphatic sign that she desires it pulled. 

 But Dr. Creighton Browne tells me of a cat which he has that goes a 

 step further than this, and herself rings the bell. This is corroborative 

 of Archbishop Whately's anecdote. ' This cat lived many years in my 

 mother's family, and its feats of sagacity were witnessed by her, my 

 sisters, and myself. It was known, not merely once or twice, but 

 habitually, to ring the parlour bell whenever it wished the door to be 

 •opened. Some alarm was excited on the first occasion that it turned 

 bell-ringer. The family had retired to rest, and in the middle of the 

 night the parlour bell was rung violently ; the sleepers were startled 

 from their repose, and proceeded downstairs with poker and tongs, to 

 intercept, as they thought, the predatory movements of some burglar ; 

 but they were equally surprised to find that the bell had been rung by 

 pussy, who frequently repeated the act whenever she wished to get out 

 of the parlour.' The cases, however, mentioned in the text are more re- 

 markable than any of these, which, nevertheless, all tend to lead up to 

 them as by a series of steps. Dogs attain to the level of asking by 

 gesture their masters to ring bells. One instance will be sufficient to 

 quote. Mr. Kae says in ' Nature ' (vol. xix., p. 459) : 'A small English 

 terrier belonging to a friend has been taught to ring for the servant. 

 To test if the dog knew why it rang the bell he was told to do so while 

 the girl was in the room. The little fellow looked up in the most in- 

 telligent manner at the person giving the order (his master or mistress, 

 I forget which), then at the servant, and refused to obey, although the 

 order was repeated more than once. The servant left the room, and a 

 few minutes afterwards the dog rang the bell immediately on being 

 told to do so.' 



It must also be added that dogs sometimes attain to the level of 

 knocking knockers — though I should think this must be very rare with 

 these animals, as I have only met with one case of it. This, however, 

 is a remarkably good case, not only because it rests upon the authority 

 of a famous observer, but also because it is so very definite as proving 

 an act of reason. Dureau de la Malle had a terrier born in his house. 

 It had never seen a knocker in its native home, and when grown up it 

 was taken by its master to Paris. Getting fatigued by a walk in the 

 streets, the animal returned to the house, but found the door shut, and 

 it endeavoured vainly to attract the attention of those within by 

 barking. At length a visitor called, knocked at the knocker, and 

 gained admittance. The dog observed what had been done, and went 

 in together with the visitor. The same afternoon he went in and out 



