156 THE HORSE OF MR. VON OSTEN 



Let us turn now, from the tests in counting and compu- 

 tation to those in reading. We have seen that Hans 

 manifested his seeming knowledge of language symbols 

 in a threefold manner: (he might approach a. slate on 

 which was written the symbol asked for,fpr he would 

 indicate its location in a series of slates by means of tap- 

 ping, oi^finally by means of so-called spelling of the 

 word which was written upon a slate or placard. The 

 r responses by means of approaching a placard were very 

 \ often unsuccessful, while indications by means of tapping 

 \ were scarcely ever unsuccessful. If it were true that 

 higher intellectual proceesses * were here involved, then 

 the converse would have been expected, for tapping re- 

 quired not only the ability to read, but also the ability to 

 count. If, on the other hand, we assume that the horse 

 simply followed the directions given by the questioner's 

 movements, this seeming difficulty resolves itself, for it 

 would be more difficult for Hans to perceive the signs 

 which he receives while moving than those which he re- 

 ceives while tapping. When we recall that it was easier 



* Professor Shaler ^, a well-known American savant, mentions a 

 three-year old pig belonging to a Virginian farmer, that was able to read 

 and had some understanding of language. From numerals which were 

 written upon cards and spread out before it, this pig could compose 

 dates. It could also select from among certain cards one upon which 

 was written a given name, asked for by the master. Supposedly no 

 signs of any kind were given. (Shalerthought to exclude effectively the 

 sense of smell, which is so highly developed in the pig, in that he, Shaler, 

 himself smelled at the cards, since he also " possessed an acute olfactory 

 sense I ") Since we are told that the farmer in question made a business 

 of supplying trained pigs for exhibition purposes, the case appears sus- 

 picious. We hear of a pig exhibited in London, that was able to read 

 and spell, and could also tell the time by the watch ^. We cannot 

 tell, however, whether the two pigs, which beyond a doubt were mechan- 

 ically trained to respond to signals, are identical or not. 



