186 JULY 



not with Nature's animal designer after all. Beasts 

 that cannot lick, scratch, or switch their own fore- 

 quarters are intended to go in herds, and to get 

 their companions to perform these services for them. 

 It follows, therefore, that it is an act of cruel 

 thoughtlessness to turn out a solitary cow to en- 

 dure persecution by flies. 



Since this little incident happened, I have paid 

 more attention to the habits of gregarious animals, 

 and the degree in which they are dependent on each 

 other for their comfort. While eating my sand- 

 wich one day beside the Tweed at Sprouston, I 

 watched the behaviour of a small herd of heifers 

 and bullocks. One of these seemed to be in special 

 request as coiffeur ; one after another its companions 

 came to it, made it desist from feeding in order to 

 lick their necks and faces. It really was very 

 remarkable how good-natured this creature was, 

 and how freely it placed its rough tongue at the 

 disposal of its fellows. For fully half an hour 

 it was occupied in this way, snatching not more 

 than a dozen mouthfuls the while, and I left it so 

 engaged in order to resume my fishing. 



Mr. Cornish mentions in his charming little book, 

 Animals at Work and Play, how the unhappy solitary 



