46 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



has to deal with creatures of higher and mys- 

 terious attributes. 



At any rate, it will not be difficult to show 

 that the dog's habits are generally consistent 

 with this hypothesis. As far as mental contact 

 is concerned, he treats his master and the 

 human members of the household as his com- 

 rades, and behaves in many ways as if he were 

 at home with the pack. Thus all the tribal 

 virtues previously mentioned come into play. 

 He guards the common lair and becomes a 

 watch-dog, and by his barking calls his adopted 

 brethren to his aid. He submits readily to the 

 rules of the house, because an animal belong- 

 ing to a community must be prepared to abide 

 by certain laws which exist for the common 

 good. He defends his master if attacked — or 

 possibly, if not a courageous dog, gets up a 

 vehement alarm to call others to his aid — 

 because he has an instinctive knowledge of the 

 importance of loyalty to a comrade, and be- 

 cause, as has been shown, loyalty to a leader 

 is especially necessary. He is ready in under- 

 standing and obeying orders, owing to the fact 

 that, when acting in concert with wild com- 

 panions, it was imperative that the youno- and 



