34 PECULIARITIES AND EXTREMES OF DISPOSITION. 



The milder and more sensitive, the less abuse and excite- 

 ment will be borne. The more stubborn and combative 

 nature, the more force, and even abuse will be borne, but 

 mingled with the wild character, force that will heat the 

 blood, will excite resistance. Hence, a mild, sensitive dog 

 or horse can be managed best by gentle flattering treat- 

 ment. The bull dog, mule or stubborn cart horse will take 

 the whip and care bnt little about it. But a little excite- 

 ment and punishment would only rouse to aggression the 

 bear or hog, and animals showing the intense courage and 

 pluck common to the more untamable nature will resist all 

 but the most intense means of pain. Hence we see that 

 gentleness and kindness is the course, and the only course 

 advisable with the horse, dog, or other sensitive animal. 

 Those of a more positive disposition call for both force and 

 encouragement, while the lion, tiger, elephant, &c., must 

 be made to feel the most intense means of pain. Hence, 

 those of the wild class, such as tigers, &c., are subdued by 

 burning and pounding with red hot rods. The elephant is 

 subjected by having spears stuck into his body, and hooks 

 stuck into the ears, &c. But it is seen the effect of care- 

 fully encouraging or kindly treating is, with rare exceptions, 

 very marked, and is only to be superseded when force be- 

 comes necessary. 



As a rule, the larger and finer the brain is in texture, the 

 more docility and intelligence will be exhibited; and the 

 smaller the brain the less the intelligence, and the more 

 determined the resistance to control. In proportion as 

 there is predominance of the lower and more savage charac- 

 teristics of animal nature, there is more natural resistance 

 and difficulty to subdue, but proportionately more vitality 

 and powers of endurance may be anticipated. To the de- 

 gree that the animal intelligence and sensibility are in 

 excess of the coarse and stubborn traits, there will be propor- 

 tionately more tractableness and docility, though, perhaps, 

 the hardiness and vitality may be somewhat less. The sheep 

 and llama, for example, having but little of this coarse, 

 combative nature, will not bear abuse. We are told the 



others, but in every instance have succeeded by the usual course of 

 disconcerting or passive treatment. All these bad cases require the 

 most gentle and encouraging after treatment, to fully wear out of the 

 mind all impulse of resentment and enmity previously excited. 



