The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-15
CLEVER DOG BOZ.
a Scotch CoiIy that Can Spell and that Can
Cipher rs Far ms Fractions.
New York sun.

New York sun.l
"A handsome Scotch colIy dog IN th'
once Of DIR. j. c. Corlies, in Market an(
mulberry streets, Newark. has been train
ed by his owner, II. b. Williams, DR.. Cor
hess young clerk, 10 do things which
prove him TO be an animal OF unusual In
teiIigence. He spells words, distinguishes
colors, and performs arithmetical calcula
tlons, or else he and his owner are amop2
the most clever OF living praeticers Of le
gerdemain. Yesterday u reporter OF the
sun called. with friend, at DR.. Corlles's
once 10 see the dog. The friends mission
was TO assist the reporter in detecting any
possible collision between Mr.. Williams
and Boz. The latter was found to be q
beautiful animal, with a white-and-tawny
coat, large head, and dark, intelligent
eyes. He is twenty-five inches high, and is
| ten months old.
"Dr. Corlies gave Boz TO me when he
was three weeks DID," said Dir. Williams.
at would take me day to tell you how
taught him to spell and figure. IL will be
easier for me to show you the results. Boz,
get on the SOFA" ~. =.
The colIy jumped upon lounge and re-
NAMED there while the owner set several
blocks In row on the floor. Each block
was painted different color.
Now. call for colors," SAID Mr.. VIII
liams.
The reporter asked Boz to pick out
green, and the dog walked slowly along
the row OF blocks until he came to the
color called for, when he lifted the block
by leather strap on the top OF it and set
| it one side. In like manner Boz correctly
selected red, white, yellow, and black.
! The reporter observed that when making
| his choice OF colors, and later OF letters
and figures, the dog faced his owner.
The visitors therefore watched the latter
to ascertain il he signalled Boz, but were
unable to detect any communication be-
tween the two. Several times when the
dog was doing his work Mr.. Williams
turned his face away from the blocks and
looked out Of window.
Boz, match this book" said Mr..
Williams, pointing to pink tele-
phone list.
The dog promptly picked up the pink
block. Finally only dlrk-blue block re-
manned on the floor. Mr.. Williams called
for light blue. Boz walked several times
around the block, and. without disturbing
il, returned 10 his master 10 signify by a
bark that there was no light-blue block.
Blocks with letters on them were next
placed on the floor, and the reporter asked
the dog to spell Tan. Boz picked up T.,
and then got A and y. The other visitor
called for the first letter Of the word
"whte," and the dog presented W. Next
he spelled his own name, and then, beng
asked for the first letter OF what he is,
picked up ID.
"Who is the biggest fraud in the room z"
inquired Mr.. Williams.
Boz set l. before him. When only X
and remained the reporter asked for the
first letter OF the word corn: TO ascertain
whether Boz approved OF phonetic spell
ing. The dog ignored X and picked up
{.
"This gold collar on his neck, Boz
won," said Mr.. Williams. "Mr. Edward
Cox. OF the Medford Novelty Goods Com
pany, 101 Chambers street, New York,
said the dog couldn'tpick out cOlOis unless
these blocks were used. So he tried Boz
with pieces Of leather, and the dog did just
as well. Mr.. Cox also asked for the initial
of his first name and for all the letters Of his
last name. The dog succeeded in this,
too, and Mr.. Cox was so much pleased that
he got the collar and gave it to Boz. Now
test his memory. Call for several cOlOrs at
Once.'
The color blocks having been put back
on the floor. the reporter said: % Boz. |
want green, pink. red, blue, yellow, black,
and white" AS he called them the re-
porter wrote down the names OF the cOlors.
Mr.. Williams asked for the names and
wrote them down for himself. After a
minute had been consumed, he said:
Now. Boz, give the gentleman the col
ors in the order in which he called for
them"
The reporter could not remember them
without the aid Of his paper, but Boz picked
up each block in its order. As in all the
tests, the dog faced his master, while the
visitors were behind the dog, and facing
Mr.. Williams.
Il suspect that you guided him." said
the reporter to Mr.. Williams. else, why
did you ask for the list of the colors before
hand? | would have told you whether the
dog succeeded or failed"
Mr.. Williams explained that he wanted
to know during the progress Of the expert
ment how Boz was getting on with it.
With ten blocks with figures on them,
the intelligent colIy performed sums III
addition and subtraction, multiplied two
by four. and then, getting into fractions,
gave the product OF twice two-and-a-half.
He answered q question as TO the number
OF days in the week, and counted five by
producing five blocks. He was told
10 pick up 4, then l, aud afterward 9, and
was again equal to the demand. The re-
porter asked for fifty-fvc, when there was
only one 3 on the floor. Boz barked TO say
that he could not comply with the request.
Eight newspapers were laid on the floor
with their names in sight. Boz led of by
producing the Sun in response 10 a call Tor
it, and then presented the Telegram, Police
Gazette, the Newark NetcS, and the others
as he was requested.
Mr.. Williams called the dogs attention
to the clock. and asked him what the time
was. Ii was 800. Boz was slow in re-
spending. apparently being tired, and had
TO be punished.
you've wasted time" said the owner,
"and | want to know what time it is now"
Boz picked up 3, 2 and /. 1t was 3:2l
O'Clock.
"If | gave you eight cents ard took
away eight how many would you have
left 2" asked Mr.. Williams.
Boz picked up an 0.
81 have eighteen quarts OF oats for my
horses three meals to-day" the owner con-
tinued. How many quarts shall he have
for each meal?"
The dog carried 6 to Mr.. Williams.
GLOW many meals day did l say the
horse was to have?"
A was promptly placed beside the
six by Boz.
The reporter departed with the opinion
that Boz is an exceptionally intelligent
dog, hut with the conviction also that in
his education Mr.. Williams is not pur-