126 ANIMAL ARTISANS 



day events and making a doleful tumult. This 

 outcry of fear in the animal world before earthquakes 

 has obviously been part of the ordinary tradition of 

 Italy for twenty centuries : 



" Sub pedibus mugire solum et juga coepta moveri 

 Silvarum, yisaeque canes ululare per umbram 

 Adventante dea." 



In the Himalayas the hillmen believe that the animals 

 are endowed with prescience of earthquakes that they 

 may warn mankind. There is some curious evidence 

 that even in this country animals are aware of earth- 

 quake shocks when these are not detected by our 

 unexpectant and blunter senses. Not long ago it was 

 reported that there was a shock of earthquake one 

 night at Newmarket. The report met with very little 

 credence ; but evidence of a curious kind came from 

 some of the racing stables. It was asserted by the 

 "boys" and some of the men there employed that 

 the horses were extremely and unaccountably uneasy, 

 that they kicked and neighed in an unusual way, and 

 that some were obviously frightened and upset next 

 morning. 



We do not know whether the chalk range which 

 runs from Reading, down the Chilterns, and across 

 the East Midlands towards Newmarket, is reputed 

 to be more subject than other parts of England to 

 earth-tremors ; but there is some reason to think that 

 this is the case, the evidence being partly based on 

 the movements of water and partly derived from 

 the behaviour of animals. At Shirburn Castle, near 



