54 
FIRST CLASS OF THE VERTEBRATED ANIMALS. 
rare that there was no deception, and betnj satisfied that the Colonel had only 
one arm, it passed on to his left hand and took the food. This fact was reported to 
M. do La Malle by M. Auguste do jPuymaurin, the son of the diputi, on whose 
authority it is inserted here. 
A well-trained Dog can often be brought to understand the meanings of words, 
even though spoken without the slightest gesture or alteration of tone. M. Edwards 
has been heard to mention an anecdote of a Dog, which was in the habit of seeking 
and bringing back Gloves. If in the course of conversation, when the Dog would 
appear to be paying no attention to what was going on, any mention was made of his 
talents, and the word Gloves {Gants) happened to bo used, the Dog was off im- 
mediately seeking out for them ; and when they were foimd, he again resumed his 
former position of careless listener to the conversation. Another Di>g, which belonged 
to an aunt of M. Audouin, was excited in the same way when Gingerbread cakes 
were alluded to, of which he was very fond. If this word (Gimllettes) happened to 
be mentioned in the course of conversation, and without any peculiar emphasis, ho 
was excited and ran to the cupboard where the cakes were shut up. This experi- 
ment was often repeated before several people, who would not at first believe the 
statement. 
M. de La Malle informs us, that one of his neighbours, the Count dc Fontenav, was 
engaged in some agricultural speculations relating to the breeding of the RIerino 
Sheep, jointly with the JIarquis des Fengerets, whoso property was situate about two 
leagues from his own. The Count had a very fine Pointer, possessed of great in- 
telligence, and as he had educated this Dog himself, it almost seemed to anticipate his 
wishes. One day he had an urgent message to communicate to Ins neighbour, and 
as no one was at hand to w'hom it could be entrusted, it occurred to him to try 
whether the Dog would carry it. Accordingly ho fastened the letter to SoUman’s 
collar, and told him carelessly, and without expecting him to obey the command, 
“ Carry that to Feugerets! ” (Porte cela aux Feugerets.J The Dog did as he was 
desired, and would permit no one to touch the letter except the Marquis. “ I have 
seen this Dog,” says M. de La Malle, “ for four or five years acting as messenger be- 
tween those two Chateaux with a remarkable quickness and fidelity. When the Dog 
delivers the letter, he goes to the kitchen to he fed. As soon as he has had his 
meal, he sits down before the window of the Marquis des Feugerets’ study, and barks 
at intervals, to show that he is really to take back the answer. On the letter bein" 
attached to his collar, he sets off and brings it to the Count his master.” 
It has been proved, beyond the possibility of doubt, that the property of pointing 
and setting game, which some races of Dogs are made to acquire by feeding them 
well, and then exercising a certain degree of comstraint and punishment, is transmitted 
unaltered to their descendants. M. Magendie, happening to hear that there was a race 
of Dogs in England which brought back game naturally, procured two adult Retrievers. 
These animals produced a female Retriever, which always remained under JI. Ala- 
genclie’s immediate inspection, and though it had received no instruction, it stopped 
and brought back game, from the very first day that it was led to tne field, and this 
it did with a degree of steadiness fully equal to those Dogs which have learned this 
art solely under the stern discipline of the whip and collar. 
When the Spaniards discovered America, they introduced Dogs as auxiliaries in 
their military expeditions against the Indians. Columbus first employed them for 
that purpose, and we are informed in his own Memoirs, that at his first conflict 
with the Indians, hb array consisted of 200 foot soldiers, 20 iiorsemen, and 20 dogs. 
These Dogs were employed in the conquest of several par'ts of the New World, espe- 
cially in Jlexico and New Grenada, wherever the resistance of the Indians was pro- 
longed. We arc informed by M. Roulin, that this race is still preserved pure 
on tile Plateau of Santa Fe, whore it is used for Stag hunting. This it performs 
with an extreme ardour, and still uses the same mode of .attack, which must have 
rendered it so formidable to the Indians. It consists in seizing the animal by the 
abdomen, and then overturning it by a sudden jerk, wliieli is given at the moment, 
when the weight of its body is thrown upon the fore-legs. Sometimes the weight of 
the animal thus overturned b six times that of the Dog. 
Without receiving any previous education, the Dogs of pure breed, naturalized in 
South America, bring to the chose certain disjiositions which the newly-introduced 
coursing Dogs, though of a superior European breed, have not yet acquired. Tims, 
the American Dogs never attack a Stag in front in the middle of its course, and 
even when the latter comes towards a Dog without perceiving him, the sagacious 
animal swerves to one side, and waits his opportunity to attack it in flank. A foreign 
Dog, who b unaccustomed to these precautions, b often left dead on the spot, from 
having the vertebral of his neck dislocated by the violence of the shock, 
Among the poor pimple inhabiting the banks of the Magdalena, this Dog has de- 
generated, partly from the cross of another breed, and partly from the W'ant of 
sufficient food. Even in this degenerate race, a new Instinct seems to become 
hereditary. R has been long used exclusively in hunting the White-lipped Pcecari 
{Dicotyles tabiatus). The art of the Dog consists in moderating his ardour, and in 
not attacking any particular animal, but thus keeping the entire herd in check. The 
very first time that these Dogs arc brought to the ehase, they show their knowledge 
of this art, which has been transmitted to them by their parents. A Dog of a 
different breed rushes into tho midst of the herd, is surrounded, and no mattew bow 
great his strength may be> he is ituvoured in an instant. 
Tiiose instances, where (llfierent varieties of the Dog unite their several talents 
while hunting, and form one combined plan of operations, are perhaps still more 
striking than any of the preceding. “ I had at one time,” says M. de La Malle, 
“ two sporting Dogs, the one an excellent Pointer -with a very smooth skin, and of 
remarkable beauty and intelligence. The other was a Spaniel, with long and thick 
hair, but which had not been taught to point, and only coursed in the woods like a 
Harrier. My Chateau is situate on a level spot of ground opposite to a copse-wood 
filled with hares and rabbits. When sitting ut my window, I have observed these 
two Dogs, which were at large in tho yard, approach and make signs to each other, 
and first glancing at me as if to see whether I offered any obstacle to their wishes, 
slip away very gently, then quicken their pace when they were a little distance from 
my sight, aud finally dart off at full speed when they thought 1 could neither see 
them nor order them back. Surprised at this mysterious manosuvre, I followed them, 
and witnessed a singular sight. The Pointer, who seemed to be the leader of the 
enterprise, had sent the Spaniel out to beat the bushes, and give tongue at the o]>- 
posite extremity of tho brushwood. As to himself, he made with slow steps the circuit 
of the wood, by following it along the border, aud I observed him stop before a pas- 
sage much frequented by the rabbits, and there point. I continued at a distance to 
observe how this intrigue was going to end. At length, I heard the Spaniel, which had 
started a hare, drive it with much tongue towards the place where his companion 
was lying in ambush, and the moment that tho hare came out of the passage to gain th# 
fields, the latter darted upon it, and brought it towards me with an air of triumjih. 
I have seen these two Dogs repeat the same inanceuvre, and in the same manner, more 
tlian a hundred times; and this conformity has convinced mo that it was not ac- 
cidental, but the result of a concerted agreement and combined plan of operations 
arranged beforehand.” 
Leroy was of opinion that Wolves do the same thing; but he foundeil his con- 
clusions solely upon the traces of tlieir foot-marks left on the snow or mud. The 
same thing has been said by Hunters respecting Foxes, but the truth of it is very 
doubtful. Indeed, these wild aniinaU which hunt during tho night, especially when 
timid, are so difficult to observe, that tliese assertions require further confirmation, 
especially when made of animals known to be of solitary habits. 
The fact that the domestic Dogs often eombiiie their different talents to execute 
one manoeuvre, is further corroborated by M. Louis Chateaubriand, nephew of the 
celebrated writer, who has witnessed tho same thing between two Harriers ami 
a Pointer. It is clear, that whatever differences there may be between this contriv- 
ance of the Dogs, aud the ambuscade of a skilful general who bides his forces in the 
woods or copses, and sends a small body of troops with orders to fall back before 
the enemy, and draw them on towards tho defiles, they both agree in being an 
ambuscade — a trick played upon the credulity of the enemy, and rc<juire tho same 
operations of the IMind to direct them both. 
The worlcings of Sympatijy among the domestic animals are very striking, and tlu* 
observations of M. dc La Malle on this point have served to lead the way towards a 
better acquaintance with its powerful infiuonce. Having been educated in the country 
during the earlier part of his life, be had amused himself with imitating the cries of 
many wild and domestic animals, and from habit ho acquired a skill so great, as to 
deceive the animals themselves. In this way, by expressing after tlieir own manner 
the external signs of Pain, Anger, or Desire, he could excite the same passions in 
them, and call forth at pleasure the external signs of those passions. Jiy numerous 
experiments, he found that tlie imitation of the sound always produced a sympathetic 
effect, and he thus succeeded with Dogs, Cats, Asses, Cocks, Hen?, &e., in produc- 
ing the same results as a good comic or tragic actor upon an assembled audience, aud 
in making the house cry or laugh, according as his voice and gestures excited the 
emotions of Grief or Joy. 
By yawning, and at tho same time imitating the sound which accompanies the 
yawn, Dogs maybe made to yawn at pleasure; but to succeed in the experiment, the 
animals must be lying quiet for some time. If they be moving or in the field, their 
attention will be otherwise engaged. \V1ifin several Dogs are lying down togetiier, 
the first that yawns makes ali the others follow, except those which have their atten- 
tion occupied about any passing matter. 
In all ages, impostors have not been wanting, who hai'e pretended to know and to 
translate several words in the language of the Mammalia, the Birds, and even of the 
Insects. There is, however, a natural language, or language of signs, which can he 
interpreted, and under this point of view, the uninials may bo considered as .'lavages, 
who are visited by civilized men for the first time, and of whoso language they aru 
wholly ignorant. It is at first necessary to invent a language of signs for communi- 
cating their ideas before a vocabulary has been formed of tho most essential words. 
We are told by M. de La Malle, that in most instances ho has completely deceived 
these animals; and at other times, when the imitation was less accurate, they have 
perceived the failure, aud either treated it with contempt, or received it with an ex- 
pression of ironic gaiety, as if they understood the joke, but at the same time were 
not duped by it. Thesc.cxperiments were repeated so often by that able observer, 
and so frequently produced the same results, that he is of opinion wo may interpret 
the language of signs and the symbols of the passions among Dogs as accurately as 
we can the cries and gesture.s of the human race. While entering the house, he one 
day imitated the cries of fighting Dogs with such accuracy, that his Dog, who was 
very much attached to him, darted out and bit him in the leg. At the first word 
the animal perceived his mistake, and threw himself howling on the ground, and ask- 
ing pardon for the offence in the most affecting manner. Sometimes when behind a 
screen, on imitating the gentle cries of the female, the Dogs were immediately ex- 
cited, raised their ears, howled, and gave the usual intUcations on the approach of the 
female. 
Numerous other instances might here be adduced of an extraordinarj- development 
of intelligence in tho domestic races, and many of these are so striking, that they 
have led some philosophers to assign ^to the animals certain qualities which are properly 
Moral. Public exhibitions have been made of the extraordinary abilities of some 
individuals, and interest has not failed to exaggerate their talents beyond all reason- 
able bounds. 
In the year 1830, there were two Poodle-Dogs or Water-Spaniels, called Fido 
and Bianco^ which were exhibited at Paris as the most learned individuals of their 
race. They wore said to be able to spell in different languages any word they heard 
pronounced, to tell the name of llie reigning sovereign, or to name the card which a 
visitor had selected. These feats would doubtless have established their claim to tho 
possession of intellectual and moral qmdities, but on examination, it was found that 
their intelligence was even more limited than that of many others of their species, 
and that all their learning resolved itself into a small matter. It was suspected that 
their master had some private sign which tho Dogs understood, but although the ex- 
hibition was attended by several eminent Naturalists, it was long before they could 
detect it. Those who have not seen tho exhibition must be informed, that all the 
letters of the alphabet, or all the playing cards, were arranged in a circle round tho 
