158 UNSOLVED PROBLEMS. 



2. The recognition, by a still more marked degree of 

 mental excitement, of the body of a master or mistress, 

 though coffined and brought from a distance. 



3. The recognition of a mistress's propinquity by Lady 

 Davies's paroquet on the occasion of an experimental visit 

 paid to it, when it could neither hear her voice nor see her 

 face. 



4. Dogs pursuing dog-skin sellers (Pierquin). 



5. The recognition and avoidance of human dog-stealers 

 and police stray-dog killers (Low). 



6. The detection of frozen travellers buried in snow. 



7. The finding, collecting, guarding, or home-bringing of 

 sheep in the dark (Hogg). 



8. The detection of murderers or thieves ; or of 



9. Lost or stolen and buried property or treasure. 



10. A dog, though blind, becoming aware of a master's 

 death (' Percy Anecdotes '). 



11. The distinction of a dead master on the battle-field 

 from heaps of other bodies, all mutilated and unrecognisable 

 by their features to man. 



We have no clue at present to the nature of the attraction 

 that bright, glittering metallic objects have for many ani- 

 mals, to their reasons for hoarding them, to the possible use 

 that could under any circumstances be made of them. We 

 know that rats, starlings, and other animal thieves pilfer 

 coin, spoons, and other similar but heterogeneous articles 

 that are apparently utterly useless to them, and that they 

 accumulate them in hoards without making any other or 

 further use of them. In the Vischaca such hoards are com- 

 parable to the midden heaps of primitive man (Cassell), ex- 

 cept in so far as concerns the uselessness and heterogeneity 

 of the articles accumulated, and those of the rat are fre- 

 quently also both large and varied as to their constituents. 

 Were it not that the most miscellaneous articles are piled up 

 in unutilised heaps, we might conceive their being rendered 

 available either as playthings or ornaments. If in any of 

 these cases there is a distinct object in committing such 

 thefts, making such acquisitions of useless property, it has 

 yet to be determined what that object is. My own belief is, 



