The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-05-31
Travelling Instinct in Animals


called attention to a subject that has
long had deep interest for natural
ists-the power of instinct animals eS-
hibit of finding their way back to
SPOT from whence they may have been
taken, by road never before trpvers-
ed by them.
Pigeons carrying messages or re-
turning long distances to their "cotes'
most certainly find their way back by
means of sight. This is evidenced by
the fact of the long training required,
and their inability or dissemination to
fly during a fog. But this means OF
finding out distant locality cannot
apply in the cases we are about to re-
cord.
At vancouver's Island a gentleman
had house on one side of Esquimalt
Harbor wherein he and his family re.
sided. They had favorite cat which
was always made great pet. 1t SO
happened that the owner of the house
had occasion to change his residence
to the other side of the harbor. The
distance in q straight line was quite a
mile, while to reach the house by
making il circuit of the harbor dis
| lance of quite four miles must be trav-
eled, and that through dense forest
of pines thickly undergrown with
brushwood. When the family remov-
ed from one house to the other, pussy
was fastened securely in basket and
taken in boat across the harbor, and
was not let out of her prison until she
was secured in room at her new resi-
dence.
1t is quite clear in this case the cat
; could not have seen anything of the
route followed by water from house to
= house. Strange at it may seem, she
made her escape during the night, and
when on the day following her remov-
x al some of the family returned for ar
ticles left behind, there was pussy
u somewhat dirty and tired, bnt in per
N feet safety. Now. she could only have
ST reached the old residence in two way
u either by swimming the harbor
IS which is by no means probable, or sh
found her way through the forest
L. where she had never been before, an
ch through thick underbrush, without an
'e tail or path to guide herr and VIVA
IS makes the matter far more wonderft
III is the fact that the cat mnst have pass
ne ed close to an Indian villiage, rom
X which large number of half-wild dog
nc were always proving.
There is another story of somewh;
: similar character told of a cat, whic
= is. l believe, vel authenticate
"When living" says the writer, 9;
"o -Four Paths, Clarendon, Jamaica,
wanted cat, and had one given
70 me, which was nearly full grown.
" was brought from Morgan's Valley E
:" tate, where it was bred, and had new
been removed from that place befor
" The distance was five miles. 1t ";
put into canvass bag and carried
a man on horseback. Between t
two places there were two rivers, o
&c of them eighty feet broad and two fe
-. and half deep, running strong; t
-: other is wider and more rapid, but it
~ deep. Over these rivers are no brids
The cat was shut up at Four Paths
oc some days, and when considered to
;,o reconciled to her new dwelling she
! of allowed to go about the house. 4
tile day after obtaining her liberty she
!. in missing, and upon my next visiting
en- estate she was brought from, l
Mod quite amazed to learn that the cat
.hil. come again. Did she swim over
heir rivers at the fords where the ht
YES. came through with her, or did she
not cend the banks for a considerable
ant. lance i'm search of more shallow p
the and where the stream was less poy
who full At at events, she must b
was crossed the rivers, in opposition IS
/ the natural habits"
tier myself once had favorite spa
Poor called Sport. He was lent to fri
lam who came to fetch him. Sport
took placed in dog-cart, and driven tt
and friends residence, distance of
+ the twenty miles. The cart was so n
rered that air could freely get in for the
ting- to breathe, but by no possibility c
eel OF any part of the road be seen durini
~ let journey. On his arrival Sport
over tied up with rope under the ma
% the in stable. During the night the
men, gnawed his rope, made his e'
turn through broken window, and
with discovered early in the morning su
naded ing his departure sitting weary,
were CRY and bedraggled, outside the
blow my residence. Now, the Que
knelt naturally presents itself is: Ho
nd of the dog find his way back all
or for road, not one foot OF which h
er and ever seen beforeg. The rememb
them of particular objects noted by tn
could not lave guided the dog, S
hecansc he had no opportunity q