CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDERS. CARNIVORA. 
227 
" For tile last tliree months of my mother's existence, Peter was ahuost always on her bed, 
night and day ; and during the final four weeks, when death was daily expected, he was sad and 
dull, which was attributed to the change in the habits of the family. Forty-eight hours before 
all was over, Peter crept into a corner under the bed, which had always been his place of refuge 
when in trouble, and we with difficulty prevailed on him to quit it, even when his mistress wished 
to see and say farewell to him. On that occasion he hung his head, and appeared to be so miser- 
able, that apprehensions of malady on his part were entertained. He returned to his corner, and 
was not thought of for some time. At length all was quiet in the room, and I was about to leave 
it, when I recollected Peter. He was with difficulty prevailed on to leave his corner, where he 
la)^ curled up and trembling, I lifted him up to take a last look of his beloved mistress, but he 
laid his head on my shoulder, and was so much distressed that I carried him away immediately. 
On the following day he accompanied me up stairs, and when I passed my mother's door, he 
looked up in my face, as much as to say, 'Are 3''ou going in there ?' but I replied 'No !' and he 
never again asked for entrance." 
A favorite terrier was in the habit of accompanying his master, Vt^lio was a clergyman, to 
church, where he was so perfectly quiet that few persons knew of his presence. On one occasion 
he went to a funeral, and when the procession left the church, accompanied his master to the side 
of the grave, where he mingled with the attendants. The parties remained for some little time 
looking at the coffin after it was lowered, and the clergyman slipped away, unobserved even by 
his dog. An hour after, as he sat at dinner with his friends, his sexton requested to speak with 
him. He was admitted into the room, Avhen he said it was impossible to close the grave, and 
that he did not know what to do. " A¥hy ?" asked the gentleman. " Because, sir, your terrier 
stands there, and flies so fiercely at us whenever we attempt to throw a spadeful in, that Ave dare 
not go on." One of the house-servants was sent to the churchyard, and there saw the dog in a 
perfect fury, defending the grave. He refused to come at his call, so by main force he removed 
him, and carried him to the drawing-room. There, the moment he saw his master, his transport 
of joy equaled his former fury ; and it is supposed that, not seeing his master go away, and 
missing him, he fancied he was in the grave, and thus strove to protect him from injury. 
A terrier, known to Professor Owen, was taught to play at hide-and-seek with his master, who 
summoned him by saying, " Let us have a game !" upon which the dog immediately hid his eyes 
between his paws, in the most honorable manner, and when the gentleman had placed a sixpence, 
or a piece of cake, in a most improbable place, he started up and invariably found it. His powers 
were equaled by what was called a fox-terrier, named Fop, who Avould hide his eves, and suffer 
those at play Avith him to conceal themselves before he looked up. If his playfelloAV hid himself 
behind a AA^ndow-curtain, Fop would, for a certain time, carefully pass that curtain, and look 
behind all the others, behind doors, etc., and Avhen he thought he had looked long enough, seize 
the concealing curtain and drag it aside in triumph. The drollest thing, hoAvever, was to see him 
take his turn of hiding. He AA-'ould get under a chair, and fancy that he Avas not seen. Of 
course those at play with him pretended not to see him, and it Avas most amusing to Avitness his 
agitation as they passed. When he Avas ill, he had been cured by some homoeopathic globules, 
and ever after, if any thing Avere the matter with him, he Avould stand near the medicine-box, and 
hold his mouth open. 
A black-and-tan terrier, belonging to a linen-draper in SAvindon, as soon as the shop was opened 
in the morning, was in the habit of going to the post-office with his master. The letter-bag was 
put into his mouth, and he carried it home. One morning he took it into his head to precede 
his master, and go alone. The postmaster, on seeing him, felt so certain his owner Avas at the 
door, that he delivered the bag to him, Avith which he ran home, while his master Avas seeking 
him. From that time it became his regular duty to fetch the letters daily. 
Sir Walter Scott tells us of the remarkable comprehension of human language evinced by his 
bull-terrier, called Camp. He understood so many Avords, that Sir Walter felt convinced an 
intercourse Avith dmnb animals might be enlarged. Camp once bit the baker, for AAdiich Sir 
Walter beat him, and, at the same time, explained the enormity of the ofi"ense ; after Avhich, to 
the last moment of his life, he never heard the least allusion to the story, in Avhatever voice or 
