SENSITIVENESS. 293 



Gardens, London, and is familiar with their animal occupants, 

 adds, c There can be little or no doubt that this is true of 

 monkeys.' A tame Siamese ape was much annoyed when 

 persons, with whom he sat at table, burst out laughing at 

 any of his ludicrous contretemps, and he would express his 

 indignation equally by look and voice-sounds (Wood). 



In the elephant the results are sometimes serious to the 

 poor animal itself, for man's sarcasm, irony, satire, ridicule, 

 applied it may be experimentally, have led it to attempt 

 work utterly unsuited to its strength ('Percy Anecdotes'). 

 Verbal taunts of cowardice or laziness are peculiarly galling 

 to a high-spirited animal, that probably feels, moreover, 

 how undeserved such insinuations are (Watson). 



Such appreciation of man's sarcasm, conveyed as it neces- 

 sarily is in man's words and phrases, involves, of course, a 

 knowledge or understanding, to a certain extent at least, of 

 man's language. And the same remark applies to numerous 

 dogs and cats that take offence at what man says, not what 

 he does. As is shown in the chapter on the c Understanding 

 of Man's Language,' dogs and cats or certain of them 

 are quite aware when their masters are speaking of, though 

 not to, them, and can distinguish between disparaging re- 

 marks and those of an opposite kind. 



In regard to a certain cat, c to laugh at him was an insult 

 which he could not brook,' and if laughter at his expense 

 was persisted in, he would sometimes slowly march out of the 

 room with every mark of signal displeasure (Wood). 



Sensitiveness to ridicule may indeed be said to be com- 

 mon among the domestic animals, and more especially among 

 high-bred dogs (Wood). 



They have equal dislike to be imposed upon : they detect 

 and resent imposture of various kinds, as practised especially 

 by man, and they give vent to their outraged feelings in 

 various ways, according to their individuality and to the 

 species and genus of animal deceived. 



Affront, insult or indignity of all kinds, or what they 

 may so consider, even when it is not intended, for instance, 

 by man, is keenly felt by many sensitive dogs and other 

 animals. They become passionate, angry, furious, under 



