Dread of the Supernatural. 215 
of relief and affection by thrusting his head between my 
knees—in his usual manner—and wagging his tail slowly. 
He never could overcome his dread of seeing his master’s 
features thus distorted in a manner so inconsistent with his 
ideas of the fitness of things. Dr. Romanes’ terrier behaved 
in a similar way; but, as I should judge from his description, 
was not so strongly moved. 
Many animals are indifferent to, and seem almost uncon- 
scious of, the death of their fellows. I have had only one 
opportunity of seeing how the presence of death affects a 
dog. Hector was very much attached to his mother, with 
whom he had lived ever since his birth. When he was about 
four years old, her health began to fail rapidly from natural 
decay. For a few days before her death, she walked with 
difficulty, and slowly, but her son always kept in close attend- 
ance on her, instead of going off to play with the other 
dogs, when we were out for our morning constitutional. One 
morning, she was too weak to accompany us, and was left on 
the mat in the entrance. Returning in the afternoon, I was 
met by my landlady at the door, with the not unexpected 
intelligence, “Poor Zoe is dead! She crawled down stairs, 
about an hour ago, into the back kitchen, and died without 
a struggle.” Hector, as usual, went to look for his mother, 
and I followed. He stood near the body, craning his neck, 
and sniffing the air, obviously deeply impressed by the pre- 
sence of death, and when I stooped down to place my hand 
on his mother’s heart, to assure myself that it was all over, 
he turned, and went hurriedly up stairs with a cry such as I 
have never before or since heard from any dog. While I 
was sewing the body up in stout canvas, and preparing a box 
for her decent burial, Carlo I. looked on attentively at the 
proceedings; but though he once or twice touched the body 
with his nose, and appeared to be puzzled, he exhibited no 
emotion. In the evening, when all was ready for her removal 
to the grave, I could not refrain from calling Hector down 
stairs. He came reluctantly, approached the box, which was 
