INTOXICATION. 83 



partial to beer (Brehm). The orang shows a preference for 

 different kinds of wine. Other monkeys have a special 

 liking for beer. The donkey, too, has acquired a penchant 

 for beer (Watson), as has the hedgehog. Wood mentions 

 a Newfoundland dog that regularly, after his daily swim, 

 called at a certain beershop for his pint of beer. Even a pet 

 starling became 'very fond of wine and spirits.' From 

 these statements it is not to be inferred that particular 

 species or genera of animals have a partiality for special 

 forms of spirits. The inference, rather, is simply that 

 the individual animals mentioned display a fondness for 

 those forms of alcohol which are of readiest access. 



Illustrations of what appears to be, but may not neces- 

 sarily be, a less discriminating appetite for all kinds of alco- 

 holic fluids, are to be found in such facts as the following. 

 A Borneo orang, mentioned by Buffon, would ' eagerly drink 

 all sorts of wine, particularly Malaga.' An Exmoor pony 

 was a ' horrid toper, and drank all kinds of liquor with great 

 relish. It could drink a glass of whiskey without spilling 

 a drop, and was passionately fond of oatmeal plentifully 

 soaked in porter.' A sooty mangabey (monkey) 'had 

 acquired a good number of bad habits. Among these was 

 an ardent thirst for all manner of intoxicating drinks.' A 

 racoon showed ' a great partiality for intoxicating liquors, 

 especially those that are sweet;' while an orang also 

 evinced ' a great partiality for all kinds of strong drink.' 



Various eccentricities of an acquired or artificial, morbid 

 or perverted, taste or appetite are exhibited in the form of as 

 striking dislikes of certain beverages, as of likings to others. 

 Thus a cat that was irresistibly attracted by porter refused 

 her more natural and innocent aliment milk. A chim- 

 panzee had a liking for wine, and could judge its quality 

 like a human connoisseur, but it had an equal dislike for 

 spirits (Cassell). A dog that lived at a brewery 'was so 

 passionately fond of drinks that he would turn away dis- 

 dainfully from biscuits or sugar, but would swallow any 

 stimulant greedily.' 



Moreover, animals are frequently bribed by what they do 

 relish in the way of drink to use what they do not. Thus 



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