Quadrupeds, 35 



sought after by our whalers, being very wild and savage, and if taken, 

 yielding a very small quantity of blubber. 



The finner grows to a large size, exceeding a hundred feet in length. 

 The skeleton of a finner, 95 feet in length, was exhibited some years 

 ago at Charing Cross ; the cavity of the ribs was fitted up as a kind 

 of sitting-room, with chairs and a table, and was not unfrequently te- 

 nanted by a party of merry-makers, who resorted to this unwonted sa- 

 loon to sip their wine. This whale was stranded at Ostend, and is 

 said to have weighed 249 tons, and to have produced 4000 gallons of 

 oil. K. 



Short Communications about Quadrupeds. 



Note on the Intelligence of Animals, illustrated by means of two 

 Pointer Dogs. 



"M. Leonard read a paper on the intelligence of animals, which he illustrated by 

 means of two pointer dogs which he had trained for the purpose. 



" To show that these animals possessed the power of comparison, he placed diffe- 

 rent objects upon the ground, such as a glove, a roll of paper, a small box, &c., and 

 having kept similar objects himself, he showed them one after another to either of the 

 dogs, and desired the animal to fetch that which was like it from the ground. The 

 dogs performed this task correctly, and all others which they were desired. 



" Cards, with numbers from 1 to 9 painted upon them, were placed upon the 

 ground, and the dogs fetched any particular number they were bidden : a number 

 brought, M. Leonard ordered the dog to take back again and exchange for another 

 number, and at the same time to deposit it in the place of that number. The dogs 

 also selected a card of a particular colour, when desired, from among many of different 

 colours. Pieces of bread were placed on the ground, and in placing them, their mas- 

 ter called them by the names of different numbers in an irregular manner, and after- 

 wards ordered the dogs to fetch the piece of bread he had called a certain number. — 

 These and various other experiments (some with pieces of meat) were all performed 

 correctly, and tended to show the great intelligence of the animals, and the control 

 which their master had obtained over them. 



" The dogs were named Phylax and Braque, and either dog, upon his name being 

 called, performed the task he was ordered ; but one of them appeared to be more quick 

 than the other." — Proceedings of Zoological Society, 1841, p. 47. 



Anecdote of a Bat flying by day-light. Seeing Mr. Douglas's note 

 respecting the diurnal flight of the bat (Zool. 6), I send you the fol- 

 lowing note on the same subject. On the 11th of November last, at 

 half-past 3 o'clock, in the w^ide part of the Boro' (Southwark), near 

 the Town Hall, I saw a bat of the smaller species on the wing. I 

 watched it for the best part of an hour, and left it performing its gy- 

 rations, which were, while I witnessed them, confined to about forty 



d2 



