THE "SIXTH SENSE" 125 



sequent shocks, of which there were many. In other 

 words, the same " prescience " was acquired in an 

 incredibly short time, and became a source of great 

 nervous depression and anxiety. 



If human beings, with their many interests and pre- 

 occupations, become acutely sensitive to these earth- 

 tremors, it is more than probable that animals, with 

 their few and simple objects of thought to distract 

 their minds from the physical world, and especially 

 domestic animals, which are free from the two anxieties 

 which do occupy the minds of wild animals namely, 

 the fear of enemies and the search for food should be 

 instantaneously aware of these coming disturbances. 

 Moreover, earthquake has a peculiarly terrifying effect 

 on animals. They fear the actual movement of the 

 earth, and the terror which some dogs exhibit in 

 thunderstorms is attributable in all probability not to 

 the sound, but to the vibration which this sets up. 



In very heavy thunderstorms in the Alps the Swiss 

 cattle, which wander at will on the upper pastures, 

 come galloping down the rocky paths to their milking 

 ground, the example being usually set by la mtre^ 

 the mistress cow of the herd. The goats and sheep 

 often follow them, and it is noted that they do this as 

 a rule only when there is very severe thunder not in 

 ordinary rainstorms. 



During the disastrous series of earthquakes which 

 took place at Agram each shock was preceded first 

 by a general crowing of the cocks, and next by 

 the howls of dogs and of cats, the latter animals 

 for once losing their wonted superiority to every- 



