360 
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 
saluted ; a ceremony which he never 'performed but once again 
upon a similar occasion . Finding him extremely tractable, I 
made it my custom to carry him always after breakfast into the 
garden. ... I had not long habituated him to this taste of 
liberty before he began to be impatient for the return of the 
time when he might enjoy it. He would invite me to the garden 
by drumming upon my knee, and by a look of such expression 
as it was not possible to misinterpret. If this rhetoric did not 
immediately succeed, he would take the skirt of my coat between 
his teeth and pull it with all his force . He seemed to be 
happier in human society than when shut up with his natural 
companions. 
Rats and Mice 
Eats are well known to be highly intelligent animals. 
Unlike the hare or rabbit, their shyness seems to proceed 
from a wise caution rather than from timidity ; for, when 
circumstances require, their boldness and courage in 
combat is surprising. Moreover, they never seem to lose 
their presence of mind ; for, however great their danger, 
they seem always ready to take advantage of any favour- 
ing circumstances that may arise. Thus, when matched 
with so formidable an opponent as a ferret in a closed 
room, they have been known to display wonderful cunning 
in taking advantage of the light — keeping close under the 
window so as to throw the glare into the eyes of the enemy, 
darting forwards time after time to deliver a bite, and then 
as often retiring to their vantage-ground . 1 But the emo- 
tions of rats do not appear to be of an entirely selfish cha- 
racter. There are so many accounts in the anecdote books 
of blind rats being led about by their seeing companions, 
that it is difficult to discredit an observation so frequently 
confirmed . 2 Moreover, rats have been frequently known 
to assist one another in defending themselves from dan- 
gerous enemies. Several observations of this kind are 
recorded by the trustworthy writer Mr. Kodwell, in his 
somewhat elaborate work upon this animal. 
1 See Watson’s Reasoning Rower in Animals , and Quarterly Review, 
c. i., p. 135. 
2 See especially Jesse, Gleanings , &c., iii., p. 206 ; and Quarterly 
Review , c. i., p. 135. 
