122 STUPIDITY. 



Instead of scattering themselves in a stampede as sheep, 

 horses, deer, cattle, buffaloes and other animals do, 'they 

 remained .... in line and stood perfectly still till the 

 train had passed over them, and not one was hurt. They 

 appeared to be sensible of the escape they had had, by run- 

 ning back to the field, squeaking and capering with 

 satisfaction.' 



In the camel, fox, certain deer, the musk ox and do- 

 mestic oxen, the capybara, guanaco, and others of the higher 

 animals, the charge of stupidity in certain circumstances 

 is better grounded apparently than in the case of the ass 

 and pig. Nor, indeed, are the most intelligent animals 

 the dog, elephant and horse, even man himself free from 

 well-founded charges of stupidity under exceptional circum- 

 stances. 



Prejevalsky says : ' The intelligence of camels is of a very 

 low order. They are stupid and timid. A hare starting 

 from beneath their feet has been known to throw a whole 

 caravan into confusion ; and a large stone, or heap of bones, 

 to cause them to bolt altogether. If the saddle or load rolls 

 off its back, it is terrified and runs in any direction, followed 

 by its companions ; and when attacked by a wolf it never 

 attempts to defend itself, although one blow from its power- 

 ful foot would kill its enemy. It only cries and spits, expec- 

 torating the chewed food with the saliva a proof of the 

 terror which takes possession of it.' 'There is no more 

 stupid animal than the camel,' says Baker. f Nature has 

 implanted in most animals an instinctive knowledge of the 

 plants suitable for food ; and they generally avoid those that 

 are poisonous. But the camel will eat indiscriminately any- 

 thing that is green ; and in a country where the plant exists 

 that is well known by the Arabs as the camel-poison, watchers 

 .must always accompany the animal while grazing.' I have 

 elsewhere shown how the same kind of errors as to food- 

 selection occur in the ox and sheep. 1 



The musk ox, when visited by the traveller, remains as 

 if rooted to the spot, staring at the strange unknown enemy ' 



1 < On the Toot Plant and Poison of New Zealand : ' British and Foreign 

 Medico- Ckirurcjical Review, July, 1865, and October, 1868. 



