SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 681 



as by his directing the dog by signs not observed by the spec- 

 tators. Dogs have again and again been taught to perform 

 little pantomimes. They have been made to attack and de- 

 fend a mimic fortress, to pretend to be wounded or killed, 

 to limp, and allow themselves to be dragged about by their 

 fellows as if dead. This will not appear incredible when it 

 is known. that even horses have been taught feats of the 

 same kind. Several years ago, at Astley's, a horse might be 

 seen to imitate to the life the actions of a bull, and go through 

 all the representation of a bull-fight. Covered with skins, 

 and supplied with horns, he imitated the very gait of the 

 animal. When assailed by mimic darts, he aifected rage, 

 rushed upon the combatants, pursuing them round the ring, 

 and finally fell down as if mortally wounded. Yet the Dog 

 immeasurably exceeds the Horse in the readiness with which 

 he receives instruction of any kind. Many have seen little 

 dogs, especially of the barbet or poodle kind, performing a 

 number of curious actions, as begging for food, ringing a 

 bell, carrying their master's slippers and other parts of dress 

 to him in the morning, and so on ; and these things are not 

 unworthy of note, as shewing the power of the animal to 

 connect certain actions with the words addressed to him. 



Dogs learn to answer to their names, nay, know the names 

 of their fellows, for if any one will carefully observe a num- 

 ber of dogs kept together, he will see that when any one of 

 their companions is called, the others know which of them is 

 expected to answer. It is but a further exercise of the same 

 faculty, that dogs comprehend the meaning of short sentences 

 .addressed to them, as the various orders ef the hunting- 

 field. But few are perhaps aware how extensive this class 

 of phrases really is. The shepherd almost seems to hold a 

 continued converse with his dogs as he directs them in their 

 various duties. In communicating with the familiar dogs 

 within our houses, we shall be surprised at the number of 

 verbal directions we give them almost without our being con- 



