Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-25
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE.

n new champion for the Intelligence
of Animals'has revived the discussion
an a book (L'Intclligcncc ties Ami
anaux, par lirnctt McnaulD full of
facts and differences which, if not all
new, arc all to the point. Without
submitting that humans arc the issue
uf quadrumans, he believes with Lac
tantius that animals possess in GER
tain measure the faculties of men, and
that our inferior brethren, us St. Fran
c;s dAssisi calls them, preceded us on
earth, and were our first instructors.
We take an example or two Of what
the smallest and dullcst.. of them, as
well as the biggest and clcvcrcst-
heas and fish rs well as elephants
can do.
There were Industrious Flcas be-
fore our time. Baron Walckcnacr
(who died in 1,i52) saw with his own
eyes, for sixpcnce, in the Place dc la
Bourse, Paris, four learned flcas per-
form the manual exercise, standing up
right on their hind legs, with 4 splnt-
CT Of wood to serve as a pike. Two
other heas dragged golden carriage;
with q third flea: ho'ding whip, on
the box for coachman. Another
pair dragged cannon. The flea
horses We're larncsscd hy q golden
Chain fastened to their hind legs,
which wcrt never taken off. They
had lived in this way two years and
half, without any mortality among
them, when Walcllnacr saw them.
They took their meals on their keep
rr's arm. Their itats were performed
on = plate Of polished glass. When
they were sull>y, and refused to work,
tho man, instead Of whipping them
held u bit Of lighted charcoal over
their backs: Which very soon brought
them ID their senses.
But of what use is clevcrncss with
out IL heart? The flea has strong III:
trrnal affections. She lays her eggs
in the crannics Of floors. in the bed
ding OF animals. and on babies NIGHT
clothes. When the helpless. tra,,<pa-
rrnt larvae appear, the mother flea
feeds them: rs the dove does it, Young.
h.r di charging into their mouths the
contents Of her stomach. Gr,L:rc er
not, therefore, one small drop of
blood. For You, it il nothing but q
tlca-bite for her, it is the liic Of her
beloved offspring!
While pleading. however. for the
flea, We cannot do as much for the
ln:.. though he is gifted with fuller
developed intelligence. An inqusi-
tive gentleman. wishing to know how
the bug became aware of human
rrrs"ncr, tried the following expert
mrnt. lie got into Il bed suspended
from the ceiling, without any tester,
i'll the middle Of an unfurnishcd room.
lie then placed on the floor, bug,
who, guided probably by smell, pom
dercd the means of reaching the bed.
After deep reflection he climbed up
the wall, Travelled straight across the
ceiling, on the spot Immediately over
the bed, and then dropped plump
down OH the Observers nose. Was
this, or was it not an act Of intcll-
Scncc?
The Fish belongs to the great
Flathcad family. The same sort of
rlatitudc which you sec in his per-
son, doubtless extends to the whole
of his character. You have met him
somewhere in human sllape-one Of
those palc-faccd, wishy-washy gentle
mcn, whose passions have established
all heart and feeling. You often find
them In diplomatic regions, and can't
tell whether they are fish or flesh.
But if their mental powers are less
developed, their term of existence is
more extended. They gain in Ion
gcvity what they lose in warmth Of
temperament.
Nevertheless, the skill with which
the sticklcback constructs his nest
il matter of natural history. Other
fishes display all address which zoe
acquire only by long and constant
practice Ono fellow with a muzz,c
prolonged into long narrow tube
(Which ho uses as a popgun), prowls
about the banks Of tidal rivers. On
spHing fly on tho water-wccds, he
hlyly swims up till he gets within five
ar six feet of it. He then shoots it
with water from his proboscis, never
failing to bring down his game. A
governor Of tho hospital Mt Batavia,
doubling tho fact, though nttcstcd by
"rcditablc witnesses, procured some of
these fish, to watch their pranks He
ciunlc q Qu On a MI, ~ L. e -