Mind in Animals. 351 
neighborhood, who flocked to the defence of their brethren 
against the alien. The battle waged warm and fiercely for 
some minutes, when the sparrows were forced to seek safety 
in retreat. 
Not only can crows and rooks assemble, hold council and 
agree to act on the result of their deliberations, but other 
birds are known to do the same things. Birds are able to 
communicate their thoughts to each other by means of a 
language, but it is not likely that in their language, or the 
language of animals in general, there are any principles of 
construction such as are possessed by all human languages. 
But the same effect may be produced by different means, and 
the reader will see that in the above instance no human 
language, however perfect its construction, could have 
served its purpose better than did the inarticulate language 
ofthe sparrows. They told their friends that their territory 
was usurped by an intruder too strong to be ejected by them, 
and implored their assistance. But while it told them this, 
it did still more, for it conveyed the report to their numerous 
foes, who winged their way to the support of their opponents. 
In fact, whenever animals of any kind form alliances and act 
simultaneously for one common purpose, it is evident that 
language of some sort must be employed. 
That beasts possess a language, which enables them to 
communicate their ideas to each other, has been clearly 
shown. It isjust as apparent that they can act upon the ideas 
so conveyed. We have now to see whether they can convey 
their ideas to man, and so bridge over the gulf between 
the higher and the lower beings. Were there no means of 
communicating ideas between man and animals, domestica- 
tion, it is true, would be impossible. Every one who has pos- 
sessed and cared for some favorite animal must have observed 
that they can doso. Their own language becomes in many 
instances intelligible to man. Just as a child, that is unable 
to pronounce words, can express its meaning by intimation, 
so a dog can do the same by its different modes of barking. 
