184 SOCIALITY OF BRUTES. 



But this propensity seems not to be confined to animals of 

 the same species ; for we know a doe, still alive, that was 

 brought up from a little fawn with a dairy of cows ; with them 

 it goes afield, and with them it returns to the yard. The dogs 

 of the house take no notice of this deer, being used to her ; 

 but, if strange dogs come by, a chase ensues ; while the master 

 smiles to see his favourite securely leading her pursuers over 

 hedge, or gate, or stile, till she returns to the cows, who, with 

 fierce lo wings, and menacing horns, drive the assailants quite 

 out of the pasture. 



Even great disparity of kind and size does not always 

 prevent social advances and mutual fellowship. For a very 

 intelligent and observant person has assured me, that, in the 

 former part of his life, keeping but one horse, he happened 

 also on a time to have but one solitary hen. These two 

 incongruous animals spent much of their time together, in a 

 lonely orchard, where they saw no creature but each other. 

 By degrees, an apparent regard began to take place between 

 these two sequestered individuals. The fowl would approach 

 the quadruped with notes of complacency, rubbing herself 

 gently against his legs ; while the horse would look down with 

 satisfaction, and move with the greatest caution and circum- 

 spection, lest he should trample on his diminutive companion. 

 Thus, by mutual good offices, each seemed to console the 

 vacant hours of the other ; so that Milton, when he puts the 



length came to so good an understanding with these animals, that it 

 entered regularly at nightfall, and established itself at the chimney corner, 

 where it remained snugly beside them for the night ; but, as soon as the 

 warmth of spring returned, it preferred roosting in the garden, though it 

 resumed its place at the chimney corner the ensuing winter. Instead 

 of being afraid of its two old acquaintances, the dog and the cat, it now 

 treated them as inferiors, and arrogated to itself the place which it had 

 previously obtained by humble solicitation. This interesting pet was at 

 last choked by a bone which it had swallowed." 



The following singular presentiment in a goose is related by Mr C. A. 

 Brew, of Ennis : " An old goose, that had been for a fortnight hatching in 

 a farmer's kitchen, was perceived on a sudden to be taken violently ill. She 

 soon after left the nest, and repaired to an outhouse, where there was a 

 young goose of the past year, which she brought with her into the kitchen. 

 The young one immediately scrambled into the old one's nest, sat, hatched, 

 and afterwards brought up the brood. The old goose, as soon as the 

 young one had taken her place, sat down by the side of the nest, and 

 shortly after died. As the young goose had never been in the habit of 

 entering the kitchen before, it would be difficult to account for this fact, 

 except by supposing that the old one had some way of communicating 

 her anxieties, which the other was perfectly able to understand. " ED. 



