ODD FRIENDSHIPS 161 



which hated water, could not steal the oats. The 

 dog always went down to the raft, and sat on it close 

 to the tin pan while the horse was eating. He would 

 then pick up the spilled-out grains, and carefully 

 crack and swallow them. Both picking up and 

 cracking an oat-corn are rather difficult feats for a 

 dog's mouth and teeth to manage. But he was very 

 expert at this, and used to sit and eat oats till the 

 horse had finished. The latter died rather suddenly 

 a short time ago, and the dog only survived his friend 

 for a few months, so this scene by the bridge, which 

 used to take place regularly every summer evening, 

 has ceased. 



The thoroughness and routine with which this dog- 

 and-horse friendship continued could probably be 

 paralleled in many other cases. There seems to be a 

 natural liking between these two very different species, 

 just as there is a natural antipathy between dogs and 

 cattle. The latter is sometimes explained by an in- 

 herited recollection of the destruction of their calves 

 by the dog's relation, the wolf. But as wolves are at 

 least as destructive to foals where horses run loose, 

 the explanation does not seem adequate. 



The dog's natural attitude towards the sheep is 

 strictly that of a hungry man towards a leg of mutton. 

 He only becomes its guide, philosopher, and friend by 

 training. Yet between shepherd dogs of the best class 

 such as those on the Northern fells and their sheep, 

 there exists a much closer link than between the ordi- 

 nary sheep-driving dogs of the South and their flocks. 

 These fell sheep are very bright, alert creatures, with 



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