CAT- GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. 
423 
by knockers undoubtedly are 9 I think they are surpassed 
by other cases in which the instrument used is the bell. 
For here it is not merely that cats perfectly well under- 
stand the use of bells as calls , 1 but I have one or tw r o cases 
of cats jumping at bell -wires passing from outside into 
• Some of my correspondents tell me of pet or drawing-room cats 
jumping on chairs and looking at bells when they want milk — this being 
their sign that they want the bell pulled to call the servant who brings 
the milk ; and Mr. Lawson Tait tells me that one of his cats — of course 
without tuition— has gone a step further, in that she places her paws 
upon the bell as a still more emphatic sign that she desires it pulled. 
But Dr. Creighton Browne tells me of a cat which he has that goes a 
step further than this, and herself rings the bell. This is corroborative 
of Archbishop Whately’s anecdote. * This cat lived many years in my 
mother’s family, and its feats of sagacity were witnessed by her, my 
sisters, and myself. It was known, not merely once or twice, but 
habitually, to ring the parlour bell whenever it wished the door to be 
opened. Some alarm was excited on the first occasion that it turned 
bell-ringer. The family had retired to rest, and in the middle of the 
night the parlour bell was rung violently ; the sleepers were startled 
from their repose, and proceeded downstairs with poker and tongs, to 
intercept, as they thought, the predatory movements of some burglar ; 
but they were equally surprised to find that the bell had been rung by 
pussy, who frequently repeated the act whenever she wished to get out 
of the parlour.’ The cases, however, mentioned in the text are more re- 
markable than any of these, which, nevertheless, all tend to lead up to 
them as by a series of steps. Dogs attain to the level of asking by 
gesture their masters to ring bells. One instance will be sufficient to 
quote. Mr. Rae says in ‘ Nature ’ (vol. xix., p. 459) : 4 A small English 
terrier belonging to a friend has been taught to ring for the servant. 
To test if the dog knew why it rang the bell he was told to do so while 
the girl was in the room. The little fellow looked up in the most in- 
telligent manner at the person giving the order (his master or mistress, 
I forget which), then at the servant, and refused to obey, although the 
order was repeated more than once. The servant left the room, and a 
few minutes afterwards the dog rang the bell immediately on being 
told to do so.’ 
It must also be added that dogs sometimes attain to the level of 
knocking knockers— though I should think this must be very rare with 
these animals, as I have only met with one case of it. This, however, 
is a remarkably good case, not only because it rests upon the authority 
of a famous observer, but also because it is so very definite as proving 
an act of reason. Dureau de la Malle had a terrier born in his house. 
It had never seen a knocker in its native home, and when grown up it 
was taken by its master to Paris. Getting fatigued by a walk in the 
streets, the animal returned to the house, but found the door shut, and 
it endeavoured vainly to attract the attention of those within by 
barking. At length a visitor called, knocked at the knocker, and 
gained admittance. The dog observed what had been dofie, and went 
in together with the visitor. The same afternoon he went in and out 
