' DOa — GENEEAL INTELLIGENCE. 459 



gist,' vol. vii., p. 2338) of his terrier, which, on starting a 

 water-rat out of reeds into the running stream, would not 

 plunge directly after it, knowing that the rat would beat 

 him at swimming. But the moment the rat plunged, the 

 dog ran four or five yards down the bank, and there waited 

 till the water-rat, being carried down stream, appeared 

 upon the surface, when he pounced upon it successfully. 



Cases of this kind might be multiplied indefinitely, and 

 they appear to show a true faculty of reason or inferring. 



Professor W. W. Bailey, writing from Broun Univer- 

 sity to ' Nature ' (xxii., p. 607), says : — 



A friend of mine, a naturalist, and a very conscientious 

 man, whose word can be implicitly trusted, gives the following, 

 to which he was an eye-witness. His grandfather, then a very 

 old but hale and hearty man, had a splendid Newfoundland. 

 There was a narrow and precipitous road leading from the 

 fields to the house. It was regarded as a very dangerous place. 

 One day when the old gentleman was doing some work about 

 the farm his horse became alarmed, and started off with the 

 waggon along this causeway* The chances were that he would 

 dash himself and the empty waggon to pieces. At once the dog 

 seemed to take in the situation, although until that time he had 

 been impassive. He started after the horse at full speed, over- 

 took him, caught the bridle, and by his strength arrested the 

 frightened creature until help could reach him. My friend 

 gives many other stories of this fine dog, and thinks he had 

 a decided sense of humour. I will repeat that both of these 

 tales come to me well authenticated, and I could, by seeking 

 permission, give names and places. 



Couch gives the following, which is worth quoting, as 

 showing the intelligence of dogs in attacking unusual 

 prey :— 



On the first discovery of the prey (crabs) a terrier runs in to 

 seize it, and is immediately and severely bitten in the nose. But 

 a sedate Newfoundland dog of my acquaintance proceeds more 

 soberly in his work. He lays his paw on it to arrest it in its 

 escape ; then tumbling it over he bares his teeth, and, seizing 

 it with the mouth, throws the crab aloft. It falls upon the 

 stones ; the shell is cracked beyond redemption, and then the 

 dainty dish is devoured at his leisure.^ 



* Illustrations of Instinct, p. 179. 



