UNSOLVED PEOBLEMS. 145 



nor would the supposition that this particular collie recog- 

 nised Scotch as contrasted with Hindoo words help us far 

 in the explanation of all the phenomena of its remarkable 

 journey. We should still have to account for its discrimi- 

 nating between a Scotch- and English-bound vessel, and 

 even were we to assume that it shipped itself accidentally in 

 a vessel for Dundee, we must still explain how it came to 

 select another vessel bound for Inverkeithing. 



One of the most remarkable forms of way -finding by ani- 

 mals is their frequently taking a direct course homewards 

 from any given point. From the bee's habit of doing so in 

 returning to its hive after honey-collecting, such a straight 

 homeward course is usually spoken of as a bee line. Frogs 

 make bee lines for food or water ; horses do the same for 

 their favourite pasturages, and they take the straightest 

 route back when they have been led or driven circuitously 

 from home (Houzeau). There are certain other forms of 

 way-finding that are as insusceptible of explanation as those 

 already described for instance 



1. In the dark, or in snow-storms. 



2. In dangerous or trackless localities. 



3. In the din and confusion of battle or of the battle- 

 field. 



Mules in dark mines know and find alone, unaided, their 

 respective working places. Not only so, but, as in so many 

 other cases, man's presence and attempted direction serves 

 simply to mislead and annoy the more sagacious and trust- 

 worthy ' lower ' animal. The leader of Eskimo dog-teams 

 finds his way through blinding snow (Parry). The horse 

 and mule show their superiority in some respects to their 

 riders by way-finding in dangerous Alpine or other paths, 

 where it is usually the best policy to leave them to their own 

 guidance, their own observation, judgment, and discretion. 

 (Farley). They may be trusted to find their way when their 

 rider is ignorant of the road, has lost his way, deviated from 

 some scarce perceptible track, or is incapable of directing 

 the animal's movements when, for instance, he is drunk 

 and has fallen off, or has been shot off in battle. Another 

 puzzling form of way-finding is connected with the discovery 



VOL. I. L 



