222 DO ANIMALS TALK? 



attention desired, the dog pulled the glove out of the 

 hand and carried it off up the passage, keeping a few 

 yards in front and waving its tail in a friendly way ; 

 this naturally led to pursuit, when the dog, still keeping 

 ahead, dropped the glove in front of a gate leading into 

 a butcher's yard, and began to bark again. As it 

 obviously wanted the gate to be opened, this was done, 

 and it trotted in without further remark. Everyone 

 who has kept dogs knows the tone of the bark of 

 request a low * wouf,' very unlike the staccato bark of 

 anger, or vexation, or remonstrance. A bulldog at the 

 Earl's Court Dog Show made his particular part of the 

 bench almost unendurable by this form of bark, kept 

 up (as we heard) for nearly three hours without a stop, 

 because he was jealous of the attentions paid to the dog 

 next him. This had won the first prize, and conse- 

 quently received all the admiration ; so the other dog 

 barked short, sharp, incessant yelps at him all day long, 

 only stopping when some one patted him. We believe 

 that leopards are absolutely silent creatures ; but many 

 of the felidae have a particular sound of request. In the 

 cat a very short c mew ' is commonly used when the object 

 is near, and will almost certainly be granted, such as 

 the opening of the door, or the giving of water or milk. 

 Unusual food which it fancies it will not get is asked 

 for in another note ; and any request not attended to is 

 repeated in the different key. The tiger uses the low 



