5 o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ceptions of man's relations, if not relationship, to the animal 

 kingdom. 



While many persons are ready to admit that, so far as phys- 

 ical organization is concerned, man and other animals are on the 

 one plane, they either do not believe in any likeness beyond this, 

 or more probably they have never examined the subject. 



It is not unlikely that the great majority of persons have not 

 devoted a half hour of their lives, taken altogether, to any thought 

 upon such a subject. It has been taken for granted that man is 

 on one plane of intellect and feeling, and all other animals are so 

 much below him that their acts are not commonly regarded as 

 other than the result of instinct, a sort of blind impulse, so that 

 they are not regarded as showing at all those qualities which we 

 term mental, much less moral ones. Even educated persons have 

 but vague conceptions on the subject of animal intelligence. The 

 publications of many of the humane societies bearing on animal 

 intelligence must have done a vast amount of good in dissipating 

 ignorance and prejudice. 



We have in Montreal, in connection with the Faculty of Com- 

 parative Medicine and Veterinary Science of McGill University, 

 a society for the study of comparative psychology — the only insti- 

 tution of the kind with which I am acquainted. It has been in 

 existence now six years. 



A brief account of the proceedings of- each meeting is pub- 

 lished in the daily press of the city, and I have reason to believe 

 that the association has in this way alone helped considerably 

 the cause of the lower animals. The Montreal Association for 

 the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has received and circulated 

 large numbers of copies of several of the papers read before this 

 society for the study of animal intelligence. 



I suggest that if the interest of teachers — especially the heads 

 of schools — can be secured, some steps may be taken in leading 

 the young to entertain correct views and feelings toward the lower 

 animals. The keynote should be : They are our fellow-creatures ; 

 in some, but not all respects, our " poor relations " ; to be guarded 

 and assisted, but also to be respected ; for in not a few directions 

 they are superior to ourselves. Let this spirit get into schools 

 and families, and but little actual formal teaching will be required 

 to accomplish the end in view. Actions on the part of elders in 

 this, as in other cases, speak louder than words. 



Of course, now, and for a long time to come, the ignorant, the 

 lowly organized, and the depraved will maltreat animals ; and 

 they must be appealed to in a way that is deterrent — that is, by 

 punishment. But the sooner we can establish a strong and cor- 

 rect public feeling on the subject of the rights and relations of 

 animals, the more effectually will cruelty be prevented ; and when 



