Natural Telepathy 



human mother could exercise such silent, perfect 

 discipline, or leave the house with the certainty 

 that four or five lively youngsters would keep out 

 of danger or mischief as completely as young fox 

 cubs keep out of it, raising children might more 

 resemble "one grand sweet song" than it does at 

 present. 



So far as I have observed grown birds or beasts, 

 the faculty of silent communication occurs most 

 commonly among those that are gregarious or 

 strongly social in their habits. The timber- 

 wolves of the North are the first examples that oc- 

 cur to me, and also the most puzzling. They are 

 wary brutes, so much so that those who have spent 

 a lifetime near them will tell you that it is use- 

 less to hunt a wolf by any ordinary method; that 

 your meeting with him is a matter of chance or 

 rare accident; that not only has he marvelously 

 keen ears, eyes that see in the dark, and a nose 

 that cannot be deceived, but he can also "feel" a 

 danger which is hidden from sight or smell or 

 hearing. Such is the Indian verdict; and I have 

 followed wolves often and vainly enough to have 

 some sympathy with it. 



The cunning of these animals would be uncanny 

 if it were merely cunning; but it is naturally 

 explained, I think, on the assumption that wolves, 



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