52 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



Few animals excel the dog in the power of 

 expressing emotion. This power is a sure sign 

 of an animal which is habitually in communica- 

 tion with its fellows for certain common ends. 

 Although probably long association with and 

 selection by man have accentuated this faculty, 

 a considerable share of it was undoubtedly there 

 from the beginningr, and was of service long 

 before the first dog was domesticated. It is 

 easy to see how important it is for the general 

 good that the emotions of any one member of 

 a pack of dogs should be known to the others. 

 If, for instance, one of the band should perceive 

 an enemy, such as a snake or leopard, lying in 

 ambush, his rapid retreat with depressed tail 

 would instantly warn the others of the danger. 



There are many reasons for the tail being the 

 chief organ of expression among dogs. They 

 have but little facial expression beyond the 

 lifting of the lip to show the teeth and the 

 dilation of the pupil of the eye when ano-ry. 

 Among the wild Canids, all of whom have stiff 

 erect ears, emotion is shown in the head or 

 visage even less than among domestic doo-s. 

 The jaws and contiguous parts are too much 

 specialised for the serious business of seizino- 



