Concerted Action. 187 
fleas have no business in the natural way to congregate in 
such material. 
Concerted action among animals, for the purpose of carry- 
ing out a definite plan, seems to me to imply even higher 
intelligence, for it presupposes communication of the purpose 
in some way, or at least a common understanding of the 
object to be attained, and of the method of procedure. A 
striking example of this was given by Lieut. Neville Cham- 
berlain, A.D.C., of the Central India Horse, in the Field, 
30th Sept. : 
“About 2 p.m., a tiger had killed one of my cart bullocks 
while he was grazing in the jungle within half a mile of 
camp. In my absence, they had put up a machan on a tree 
near the carcase, but they must have made so much noise 
that the tiger was frightened, and had left that part of 
the jungle; for, though I rode down to the place on my 
pony and sat over the kill till dark, no tiger appeared. I 
was well repaid, however, for going, for I was favoured with 
a very interesting sight. 
“The sun was getting low, everything was quiet in the 
thick jungle round, and I was thinking about moving home- 
wards, when a peacock behind me called, and I hoped it was 
the tiger returning for his evening meal. A few seconds 
afterwards, a rustle on the leaves followed; and yet, though I 
strained my eyes, I could see nothing. Suddenly, stealing 
along, with their noses up, drinking in the delicious fragrance 
which came from the dead bullock down wind, I saw a small 
pack of wild dogs, seven in all. Their bright rufous colour 
had, no doubt, made the peacock, who must have seen one of 
them, think it was his enemy, the tiger. 
“They circled quietly round the glade where the kill was 
lying, as though suspicious of a trap; but finally they seemed 
to make up their minds that there was nothing to fear, 
and, led on by the largest of the pack, a fine fellow with 
a large bushy tail, they crept up to the carcase in Indian 
file. One good look to see if the coust was clear, and they 
