Identification of Persons by Scent. 127 
There is, indeed, no possibility of transferring the working 
qualities of a first-rate retriever, for they depend on the 
interest he takes in sport in association with the man who 
has shown him the way to employ his faculties in a pursuit 
which affords him pleasure. 
The scent of anyone with whom a dog is familiar seems 
to linger for some time about a place, and even in the 
air, and there can be no question that the animal can 
thus identify a person whom he does not at the time see. 
Carlo I. became much attached to one of my sisters, who 
took care of him in my occasional absence from home for 
the day, but he made no friendships with other members 
of the family. This sister used to frequently go to my 
“den” to write her letters or consult a book while I was 
out for a walk with the dog. On returning I knew with 
certainty whether she had been into the room, for the dog 
would walk round, not with his nose down, wagging his 
tail with almost as much energy as if she were present. 
During the year this must have happened repeatedly, and, on 
inquiry, he was always found to have been correct. On one 
oceasion considerably more than an hour elapsed since she 
had entered the room, merely to place some letters on the 
table, and had remained but a’ minute or two, yet he indi- 
cated his knowledge of the fact in his accustomed manner. 
No demonstration of the kind ever took place after a visit 
from any other member of the family. It may be concluded, 
then, that associating this person with a sense of conso- 
lation and companionship, during my absence, those ideas 
were recalled to his mind and identified with her whenever he 
scented her, and he was impelled to express his pleasure. 
This “den” was situated in what had been a harness room 
at the back of the stable, through which it was necessary to 
pass to reach it, and shut off from the yard by three doors. 
Yet, on approaching the outer door, I was always certain if 
she happened to be in the room by his dancing round me 
and wagging his tail in anticipation of seeing her. 
