4 DOG'S POWER OF "SCENTING" 

 to chance. But a dog or other animal (pig, 

 badger, etc.) is seen to sense the ground, and 

 soon discovers the exact spot where the escu- 

 lent lies hidden below the surface. It may be 

 said that this is only a matter of smelling 

 (scenting). It is true the 'dog's nose is the 

 organ by which the presence of game, etc., is 

 made known to him ; but of the actual sensa- 

 tions he experiences we have no knowledge. 

 The smallest game-bird, a jack snipe, when 

 held in the hand, has no appreciable smell for 

 us, but the dog is aware of it when fifty yards 

 distant. The dog also is capable of running 

 on the tracks of his master, and following him 

 through streets where the scent is foiled by 

 the trampling of many human, leather-clad 

 feet. If these performances are due to the 

 sense of smell they transcend anything we 

 understand of that faculty. 



The stock from which man descended pro- 

 bably never possessed this power, it being un- 

 necessary to the particular habit of Ufe ; hence 

 no trace of it has been handed down. 



