The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-01-17
Associated Habitual Movements in the
Lower Animals.

Dogs, when they wish to go TO sleep
on carpet or other hard surface, gem
orally turn round and round and scratch
the ground with their forepaws in a
senseless manner, as if they intended 10
trample down the grass and scoop out n
hollow, as no doubt their wild parents
did, when they lived on open grassy
plains or la the woods. Jackals, fennecs,
and other allied animals in the Zoologi-
cal Gardens, treat their straw III this
manner; but it liz Il rather odd circum
stance that the keepers, after observing
for some months, have never seen the
wolves thus behave. A semi-idiotic dog
and an animal in this condition would
be particularly liable 10 follow sense
less habit-was observed by friend to
turn completely round on carpet thir-
teen times before going to sleep.
Many carnivorous animals, as they
crawl toward their prey and prepare To
rush or spring on it, lower their heads
and crouch, partly, as it would appear,
to hide themselves, and partly to get
ready for their rush; and this habit in
an exaggerated form has become heredl-
tary in our pointers and settlers. Now, l
have noticed scores of times that, when
two strange dogs meet on an open road,
the one which irst sees the other, though
ut the distance of one or two hundred
yards, after the first glance always lowers
It's head, generally crouched n little, or
even lies down; that is, he takes the
proper attitude for concealing himself
and for making rush or spring, al
though the road is quite open and the dis
lance great Again, dogs of all kinds, when
intently watching and slowly approach
ing their prey, frequently keep one of
their fore-legs doubled up for the next
cautious step; and this is eminently
characteristic of the pointer. But from
habit they behave in exactly the same
manner when their attention is aroused.
/ have seen dog at the foot of high
wall, listening attentively to sound on
the opposite side, with one leg doubled
up; and in this there could have been
no intention of making Il cautious APP
proach.
Dogs scratch themselves by rapid
movement of one of their hind feet and,
when their backs are rubbed with n stick,
SO strong is the habit that they cannot
help rapidly scratching the air or the
ground in useless and ludicrous man
ner.
Horses scratch themselves by nibbling
those parts of their bodies which they
can reach with their teeth /; but more
commonly one horse shows another
where he wants TO be scratched, and
they then nibble each other. A friend
whose attention l had called to the sub
loot obOarva1 +bot whom no r11hhad biG
horses neck the animal protruded his
head, uncovered his teeth and moved his
jaws, exactly as if nibbling another
horses neck, for he could never have
nibbled his own neck. If horse is
much tickled, as when currycombed, his
wish to bite something becomes SO in
tolera5ly strong that he will clatter his
teeth together, and, though not vicious,
bite his groom. At the same time, from
habit, he closely depresses his ears, SC
as to protect them from being bitten, as
if he were fighting with another horse.
A horse, when eager to start on "a jour
ney, makes the nearest approach which
he can to the habitual movement of pro.
gression by paving the ground. Now,
when horses in their stalls are about to
be fed and are eager for their corn, they
paw the pavement or the straw. Two OF
my horses thus behave when they see OF
hear the corn given TO their neighbors.
But here we have what may almost be
called a true expression, as paving the
ground is universally recognized as 8
sign of eagerness. DdraUiR'S Express
sion Of the Emotions Of Nan and the
LO,Ucr Aninals.