112 NATURAL HISTORY. 



place. Philax was next told he might bring a piece of bread and eat it ; but, before he had time to 

 swallow it, his master forbade him, and directed him to show that he had not disobeyed, and the Dog 

 instantly protruded the crust between his lips. 



"While many of the feats were being performed, M. Leonard snapped a whip violently, to prove 

 that the animals were so completely under discipline, that they would not heed any interruption. 

 After many other performances, M. Leonard invited a gentleman to play a game of dominoes 

 with one of them. The younger and slighter Dog then seated himself on a chair at the table, 

 and the writer and M. Leonard seated themselves opposite. Six dominoes were placed on their edges 

 in the usual manner before the Dog, and a like number before the writer. The Dog, having a double 

 number, took one up in his mouth, and put it in the middle of the table ; the writer placed a corre- 

 sponding piece on one side ; the Dog immediately played another correctly, and so on until all the 

 pieces were engaged. Other six dominoes were then given to each, and the writer intentionally played 

 a wrong number. The Dog looked surprised, stared very earnestly at the writer, growled, and finally 

 barked angrily. Finding that no notice was taken of his remonstrances, he pushed away the wrong 

 domino with his nose, and took up a suitable one from his own pieces and placed it in its stead. The 

 writer then played correctly ; the Dog followed, and won the game. Not the slightest intimation could 

 have been given by M. Leonard to the Dog. This mode of play must have been entirely the result of 

 his own observation and judgment. It should be added that the performances were strictly private. 

 The owner of the Dogs was a gentleman of independent fortune, and the instruction of his Dogs had 

 been taken up merely as a curious and amusing investigation."* 



To give another instance of a Dog understanding actual words : A woman expressed aloud a 

 wish that a certain Cat, who plagued her greatly, was dead. Her favourite Dog went out of the house, 

 found the Cat in the garden, and immediately slew it ! This is quite a parallel case to the story of 

 Henry II. and Thomas a Becket. 



Another very unequivocal instance is given us by Mr. Hugh Miller. Pompey, a black Retriever, 

 belonging to a lady at Morningside, Edinburgh, could not be kept because he was perpetually damaging 

 the neighbours' gardens. He was, therefore, sent to lodge with the family of an old servant, but there, 

 too, he made his position untenable by fighting with the servant's own Dog. At last, it was agreed 

 that there was no use in trying to cure Pompey of his bad habits ; he was condemned to death, and the 

 butcher was ordered to hang him on a certain day. The children, who loved the poor beast, despite 

 his crimes, kept throwing their arms round his neck and saying, " Oh, poor Pompey, you're going to 

 be hanged ! " On the morning fixed for the execution Pompey disappeared, and kept clear until he 

 imagined the storm had blown over. Another day was, therefore, fixed, but before that time the 

 servant at whose house he was stopping mentioned Pompey's case to a lady, who obtained a reprieve, 

 and adopted him herself. He behaved very well with his new mistress for some time, although for a 

 full year after his rescue he was much depressed in spirits, and wore quite a hang-dog look. But 

 after some years, there was a general change of servants in the house, and Pompey, who disliked 

 strangers, bit one of the new-comers. His mistress without meaning a threat said to him, " Oh, 

 Pompey, you'll be hanged after all ! " whereupon Pompey decamped, and could by no means be heard 

 of. At length, an advertisement in the Scotsman was answered by a gentleman, who stated that an 

 ownerless Dog, of the description given, had been caught changing trains at Layton, Cumberland. 

 Here he was detained, and, although at home rather averse to strangers, displayed at once extraordinary 

 urbanity, and was soon a prime favourite. Evidently it was his intention to ingratiate himself with 

 his new friends, that he might not be sent home and hanged. Subsequently, he was identified by a 

 friend of his mistress's who was travelling in Cumberland, and sent home. Besides illustrating a Dog's 

 knowledge of words, this anecdote furnishes a wonderful instance of acuteness, for this Dog knew 

 nothing of the railway by which he travelled to Layton, except from having a short time before 

 accompanied the cook to the station to see her off on a journey. 



After finding that the Dog can understand what is said to him, one is always tempted to wish 

 he could go one step further, and answer again, for to hear from a Dog's own lips his opinion on " men 

 and things " would be an entertainment of no small interest. Attempts have been made to teach Dogs 



* Youatt. 





