5468 Reason and Instinct, 



animals subject to the influences of domestication, to impart informa- 

 tion or communicate ideas, in a much more extensive sense than we 

 have contended for in the case of animals still in a state of nature, to 

 other domesticated animals, whether of a different tribe or not, which 

 of course includes the converse power of apprehending or rightly con- 

 ceiving of what is so communicated. Dog communicates with dog, 

 dog with raven and raven with dog, dog with horse, dog with goose, 

 and so on ; while, besides all this, they all communicate intelligibly 

 with man, and intelligently receive his communications, whether made 

 by word or sign. Horses employed in farm draught-work are guided 

 and influenced almost entirely by the voice and tones of their driver, 

 to the comparative exclusion of whip and reins; and it is quite worthy 

 of notice that a farm-horse taken from one district of the kingdom to 

 another, where different words or sounds are used by the ploughman 

 or carter in addressing, encouraging, chiding his team, is as much at a 

 loss and as awkward as would be the English labourer under a French 

 foreman or a French recruit with no explanation of the orders of the 

 English drill-sergeant. Still the equine foreigner is not long in 

 picking up the meaning of the new words addressed to him, and soon 

 becomes as habile as the native of his new district. Other instances 

 of the same kind might be given. The following examples of intelli- 

 gence, too, are very striking : — " The dog that lives with his master 

 constantly, sleeping before his fire, instead of in the kennel, and 

 hearing and seeing all that passes, learns, if at all quick witted, to 

 understand not only the meaning of what he sees going on, but also, 

 frequently in the most wonderful manner, all that is talked of. I have 

 a favourite retriever, a black water-spaniel, who for many years has 

 lived in the house and been constantly with me. He understands and 

 notices everything that is said, if it at all relates to himself or to the 

 sporting plans for the day. If at breakfast time I say, without 

 addressing the dog himself, ' Rover must stop at home to day, I cannot 

 take him out,' he never attempts to follow me ; if, on the contrary, I 

 say, however quietly, * 1 shall take Rover with me to day,' the moment 

 that breakfast is over he is all on the qui vive, following me wherever 

 I go, evidently aware that he is to be allowed to accompany me. * * 

 His great delight is going with me when I hunt the woods for roe and 

 deer. I had some covers about five miles from the house, where we 

 were accustomed to look for roe. We frequently made our plaus 

 over-night, while the dog was in the room. One day, for some reason, 

 I did not take him ; in consequence of this, invariably when ho heard 

 us at night forming our plan to beat the woods, Rover started alone 



