270 General Notes. 
provision for the future a direct result of domestication? In 
summer he often lay in this hollow, but his favorite sleeping place, 
even in mid-winter was on top of the highest box, the wind playing 
generally in his long, thick and fine hair. Was this position and 
his love for sitting on our shoulders or any elevated place a remnant 
of some arboreal strain? At twilight and by moonlight was his 
play time, turning summersaults, rolling over and over, jumping 
from the second story to the first and then to the ground and back, 
or entirely over his kennel, etc., etc., but though always on the 
alert, we never noticed anything which indicated discontent or fear, 
only as strangers came near him. 
We tried to teach him various tricks, but for these he developed 
whenreproved. Asheseemed to have attained his maximum in men- 
tal capacity,and the object of our study had been secured, the second 
winter he was passed over to the taxidermist ; but for a pear, when- 
ever the earth about the pine wasstirred, the peculiar odor of the 
fox was evident, though in playing with him on the grass we rarely 
detected it.—Mary E. Holmes, Ph.D., Rockford, Ills. | 
CANINE Disstmutation.—Mr. John F. Stafford, of Chicago, 
owns an English Bull Terrier about two years old. “Shave” 1s 
indulged considerably by his master, and occasionally allowed to 
remain indoors if the weather is bad. : 
Once Shave had a severe cold and coughed considerably, during 
which time he was allowed to stay in the house. 
Since his recovery when any mention is made of turning him out 
of doors he-coughs vigorously, and wheezes, in fair imitation of 
asthma. 
The trick does not avail him now, however, but he recollects 
that it did once. When put out he drops the pretence at once 
dashes gaily off after neighborhood company. 
Shave’s mother, it is said, used to ring an electric bell by press- 
ing upon the button in the floor when she wanted to go out. There 
is a chance for this to be accidental, but the family believe that it 
is intentionally done. The coughing trick I witnessed once 10 
Shave, and Mr. Stafford says it is often resorted to by the hypo- 
crite.—S. V. Clevenger. 
