53 
THE MAMMALIA— MAN AND BEASTS. 
to hold it down steadily with his paws, and ho is ten or twelve months old before ho 
hides his superfluous food. The latter Instinct is also seen, accordin'? to Azara, 
in the Puma (Fclis Concolor), and in several other wild Animals of Paraguay. 
Many of the domestic animals, but especially the Dog, express their Contempt or 
Aversion for any object by rolling themselves over it. If they find the carcass of a 
Mole, a Shrew or other Insectivora, they immediately roll over it, which 
they never do upon the carcass of a Ruminant or SoUpede, of which they are very 
fond. M. do La IVlalle had two Spaniels, which devoured with pleasure the bones of 
Woodcock and Snipo ; but when ho threw into their mouths the gizzanis of these 
Birds, which had a very strong marshy flavour, they rejected them with well express- 
ed signs of disgust, and when the gizzards felbupou the floor, they immediately rolled 
over them. On attempting to urge them by commands and threats to eat the gizzards, 
they smelt them and rolled over them as before, nor could they be diverted from this 
Instinctive action either by the presence or injunctions of their master. This ex- 
periment wjis repeated several limes, and always with the same result. 
A remarkable instance of the force of Imitation is related by M. de La Malle of his 
Dog, named Fox, This gentleman had a male kitten, aged six months, when the 
Scotch Terrier, Fox^ then two months old, was given to him. It was of that variety 
with long and rough hair, with straight cars directed forwanls, which attaches itself 
to Horses, and is used for Fox-hunting. This Dog, when two years old, had never 
been out of the house where ho was allowed to run at large ; he had never seen other 
Dogs, and had received his education solely from the three (laughters of the porter, 
and from the Cat. The latter was the companion of his sports, and was with him con- 
tinually ; bonce these animals had acquired a singular affection 'for each other. The 
Dog had adopted the mildness and timidity of the females, who took charge of him ; 
but the Cat, being older than Fb.r, was his master in point of muscular force, and the 
Dog showed, in a marked manner, the influence of his preceptor. lie bounded like 
the Cat, and rolled a ball or a mouse with bis fore-paws in the same manner. He 
even licked his paw, and rubbed it over his ear just as he had observed in bis in- 
structor. The imitation was striking; it might have been expected that, in this state 
of isolation, the Dog being the more iutoUigent animal, would have acquired the 
greater influence over his companion; but the contrary happened. This circum- 
stance is easily explained from the power of Imitation being greater in the Dog than 
in the Cat. But although Fox had showed snch an attachment to his friend, it was 
not powerful enough to overcome his aversion to the species. If a strange Cat present- 
ed itself in the garden, immediately put it to the rout. The Cat also manifested 
his hatred to a strange Dog, which do La Mallo brought for the first time into the 
honse. The visitor could not be tanght to endure the caresses of Fox, but ex- 
hibited the utmost astonishment and aversion for his unnatural and Feline accomplish- 
ments. We are informed that M. Audouin had a Dog, which died in the year 1831, 
and had acquired all the manners of a Cat, particularly that one of licking his paw 
and passing it over the ears. 
It is well known that Dogs can open a latched door, and ring the bell for the por- 
ter ; this proves the faxnlltv with which they imitate the actions of Men. Many Cats 
axe known to leap upon the bell-rope when they wish to have the room-door opened. 
M. do La Malle had another Dog, which w'as brought to Paris when eight years old. 
On tho day of its arrival, it went ont of the hoiue, but being fatigued it w ished to 
return, and bjirkcd at the entrance for a long time without effect. At length a 
stranger rapped at the door by raising the knockor. Tho Dog observed the action, 
and came in along with him. That same day M. du La Malle saw it come in six times 
by raising the knocker with its paws. It must be observed, that there were no 
knockers at that gentleman’s country-scat, where the Dog had been brought up from 
its birth ; and also that it had not previously been absent from home. 
Signor Bcnnati, — a learned physiologist of Milan, who has written a curious me- 
moir on the mechanism of the voice during singing, and received the favorable 
notice of the Baron Cuvier in May 1830, — had a Water-Spaniel, which always came 
near the Piano •forte wlionever the S. Benuati stnigk tho chords, and seemed to show 
a taste for music. Tho learned Doctor, himself a skllfnl musician, was then studying 
the merits of Dr Gall’s system of Phrenology, and accordingly searched the Dog’s 
cranium very carefully for the bump of music, but without the slightest success. Not 
discouraged by this important circumstance, he tried to teach tlio gamut to the Dog. 
He began with the Piano, but failed; he then tried the Violincello, tho Flute, and 
Ihe Clarionet, also without success. At length he recollected that Dogs usually bark 
'when a Bell is rung, and, therefore, concluded that Bells exert a peculiar action 
upon the Acoustic nervo of Dogs. lie procured seven diatonic Bells; and, by 
uiaking them vibrate with the bow of a Violin, succeeded in making the quadruped- 
K'usician sing tlie gamut very correctly after nine days’ lessons. He even brought 
^ho musical education of the Water- Spaniel as far as to make him sing an accorapani- 
*nent in thirds to his own voice, wmich is one of very considerable power. 
These several facts show that we are still very far from being able to point ont 
limits to the intclligenco of animals possessed of tills remaikable faculty of imitation ; 
and, at the same time, they serve to exhibit tho influence of a rational course of cdu- 
<^tion upon domestic races so intelligent and so capable of improvement a? our Dogs. 
The iutolligexit powers of the domestic animals are thus capable of undergoing a 
much greater degree of development than is commonly imagined; and this improve- 
ment is not confined merely to tho faculty of Imitation, but cxlemls also to the otlier 
powers of Memory, Judgment, and Reasoning. The fne.ts observed during tho traiu- 
of Pointers, Setters, Slicpherd Dogs, and Water-Spaniels, arc evident proofs of 
that dcvclopmout of intelligtmce which increases with time, and may be induced by 
the care and skill of their instructor. 
One instance of intelligence in a Dog belonging to M. do La hTallo may be men. 
tioned here, as it shows that tho animal, judging from the impressions of its senses, 
^•ombined their relations, and drew a just conclusion from the appearances and facts 
'^hich he had obsorxTd : “ I reside,” says tljat gentleman, “ when in the country, 
m a tolerably large Chateau, with a great number of windows, as w’ell in tho dwelling- 
house itself os in the offices. Tlie Spaniel, named PijranmSy to which 1 allude, sleeps 
m an open nicho in the wall at the end of a very large court-yard, and I am in tho 
Qabit of introducing him into my room during the night. This animal always finds 
some food in ray room, and a fire in the winter; he is, therefore, fond of his master, 
for Dogs, as well as Men, love society. I usually rise at midnight during winter, 
for I then retire to rest at five o’clock in the evening. As soon as I have risen and 
have lighted my lamp, I hear the Dog Pyramus under my window whining and 
howling gently. If 1 delay in opening the window, his cries become louder, with an 
occasional bark to give mo notice of his presence. On opening the window, and on 
telling him that I am going to let him in, he is silent ; but if I forget my promise, or 
am long in performing it, be begins in about half an hour his plaintive howds and 
barking. I have often observed him by moonlight, and when there is no light in the 
room, sitting with his eyes fixed on my window, but ahvays remaining silent, and 
neither expressing his wishes by cries nor any other sound. From these facts I 
draw the following conclusions ; — 1st, That the Dog, by means of the sense of sight, 
combined the appearance of the light with the idea of his master, and of the agree- 
able things he vpas in the habit of getting from him ; 2d, Tho absence of light indi- 
cated that his master either slept or was absent, and that then his cries would be 
superfluous. I may add, that my room is on an upper story, and though the Dog 
cannot get at it, except by a staircase and a long gallery with many turnings, yet 
this animal never mistakes the position of my window, although it is exactly the same 
as’twolve others in front. And whether there be a light in my room or not, he re- 
gularly places himself at tho same hour under my window, alvrays silent when he 
perceives no light in the room, but calling me and asking to be let in whenever he 
observes the light.” 
It would be going too far to assert that well-educated Dogs can acquire notions 
either of Delicacy or Decency ; but there cannot be the least doubt that they possess 
powers of Memory, Reflection, .Tudgment, and Association of Ideas. They can even 
combine Relations, and draw just inferences from the notions received directly from 
the sense of sight. Many of their perceptions of sight arc also acquired. If a pup 
of two or three months old be called from an upper story w’hcn lying in a court, he 
knows not how to direct his eyes in the direction of the sound which strikes his car. He 
must first learn to combine the relations of these two senses, which in this respect 
have an intimate connexion. But when once he has by chance directed his eyes to the 
quarter whence the sound proceeds, he treasures up this fact ascertained by experi- 
ence; the result is fixed in his Memory, and he docs not again make tho same mis- 
take. 
The Domestic Pig, which is brought up with us only for the market, appears, when 
confined in its stye, to be excessively stupid and devoid of intelligence. Yet educa- 
tion, and the habit of living in the society of Man, develop his social character, and 
he exhibits some amiable qualities. At tho town of Brivcs-Ia-Galliarde, in France, 
Pigs are domesticated like Dogs, and live in society with the inhabitants. They go 
up-stairs even in houses of three stories high, and often sleep in the same room with 
their masters. From this treatment they have acquired singular habits of cleanli- 
ness, which are further improved by their mistresses taking them usually twice a-day 
to the river to be washed and rubbed. While undergoing this operation, it is curious 
to see them going voluntarily to the water, and turning themselves first on one 
side, then on the other, and then on their back, to assist her; and M. dc La Malle 
has scon them thank their mistress after their own fashion, when it was all over, by 
licking her hand. The Irish Pigs have long been remarked for their intelligence, 
and this is evidently owing to their living so much in the houses of the lower classes, 
and associating with the children. There is, however, no instance on record of their 
having been guilty of an equal degree of gratitude with their cleaner brethren of 
Brives-la- Gallinrde. 
The Intelligence of tho Elephant is capable of undergoing a very considerable de- 
gree of development under Domestication. An Elephant, at the Jardin du Itoi, was 
brought to understand the meaning of seven'll words. When his guide said “ En 
arridre,* without elevating his voice or making the slightest gesture, the animal 
backed immediately. A remarkable instance of foresight was observed in the War- 
Elephants of Cochm China, whicii is related here on the authority of an intelligent 
traveller, and an eye-witness of tho circumstance. Seventy Elephants were ranged 
against a Tiger ; and one of them, urged on by his Mohout or guide, advanced to 
the attack. The Tiger waited until the Elephant was in the act of striking with his 
tusks, and making a sudden spring, alighted on tho neck of the Elephant, with his 
hind paws inserted on the animal’s trunk. The Elephant was wounded, and fled; but 
all tbo other EUfphants who witnessed this conflict profited by the inexperience of 
their companion, and advanced against the Tiger with their trunks rolled up under 
their throats in the most careful manner, thus showing a degree of observation, fore- 
sight, and judgment, which might not have been expected in so large and heavy an 
animal. 
We shall only add here a few instances which servo to prove that the Domestic 
Dogs, from their living in society with Alan, havo acquired the power of reflection, of 
combining means to an end, and of foreseeing difficulties in thoir execution. They 
also learn the meanings of many artificial words. They communicato thoir ideas to 
each other by means of natural signs, and assign to each the part necessary to be 
performed, in a combined plan of action — qualities which require operations of their 
minds but little inferior to the results of tho Human Intellect. We shall oven show 
that they form plans when hunting by therasclvt^s, which exactly resemble those in- 
genious devices invented by Man, and practised by him in the Art of War. 
M. de PujT:nauriri, a fh'fmtt' or Member of tho French Parliament, had a female 
Water- Spaniel, whose education had been very carefully attended to, and it accord- 
ingly showed extraordinary intelligence. During the occupation of Paris by the 
alUed armies in 1814, General Stewart, who lodged in AI. Payinaurins house at 
Toulouse, remarked that the Dog would take nothing that was offered to it with 
the left hand, and he tried to deceive the animal by crossing his arms, and even by 
exciting its appetite by some marked difference in the quality of the food held in each 
hand, but without effect. Being determined to subject the Dog to a very peculiar 
experiment, he requested one of his Aides-de-camp ^Colonel Cameron), whose right 
arm had been amputated, to offer tlio Dog some food. The Dog approached, and 
without noticing tho hand containing, tho food, rose upon its hind-legs, and applied 
its nose to tho place where the Colonel s right arm ought to have been, as if to be 
