HUMAN TRAITS IN THE ANIIVL^LS 



and gazes into the fire, I wish I knew if there were 

 anything Hke currents of thought, or reminiscences, 

 or anticipations passing through his mind. When I 

 speak sternly to him and he cowers down or throws 

 himself on his back and puts up his paws plead- 

 ingly, I wish I knew just the state of his mind then. 

 One day my dog deserted me while I was hunting, 

 and when I returned, and before I had spoken a 

 word to him, he came creeping up to me in the most 

 abject way, threw himself over, and put up his plead- 

 ing paws, as if begging forgiveness. Was he ? We 

 should call it that in a person. Yet I remember that 

 I upbraided him when he first showed the inclina- 

 tion to desert me, and that fact may account for his 

 subsequent behavior. 



When you speak to your dog in a certain way, 

 why does he come up to you and put out his front 

 legs and stretch, and then stretch his hind legs, 

 and maybe open his mouth and gape? Is it an 

 affectation, or a little embarrassment because he 

 does not know what you are saying ? All dogs do it. 

 The human traits of the dog are very obvious. One 

 time I drove many miles through the country with 

 my small mongrel black and tan dog Lark with me, 

 often on the seat by my side. When he was in the 

 wagon and other dogs came out and barked at us. 

 Lark was very brave and answered back defiantly 

 and threateningly; but when he was upon the 

 ground and other dogs came out. Lark was as meek 

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