Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-16
FRIENDLY ANIMALS.
ODD FRIENDSHIPS THAT DUMB
CREATURES CONTRACT.

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The particular friendships occasion
ally formed by animals among them
selves are characterized by the virtues
and failings incident to human attach
ments. We are frequently reminded of
mans selfishness and Inconsistency in the
ways of the brute creation, nor is it
peculiar to animals that they sometimes
enter into alliances Of a curious kind.
Naturally enough, horses often make
friends and comrades among their own
race, as dogs do still oftener, but a close
friendship and understanding between
horses and dogs is apparently more fire.
quent than any similar relationship
between the individuals Of the same
species. Perhaps the most remarkable
attachments are those shown by animals
thrown together by enforced circum-
stances and separated from others Of
their kind.
Horses have positive dread of soli-
tude, and when this happens to be un-
avoidable will make friends of the most
unlikely creatures. The hours which a
carefully tended favorite passes in his
box are often relieved blythe companion
ship Of the stable cat, which the nobler
quadruped speedily adopts as its own,
and to which it often becomes genuinely
attached. The absence of the cat is at
once remarked by the horse, who mani
tests impatience and plainly asks for the
restoration Of its favorite.
One Of the runners in the Derby,
colt named Galeopsis, had for some
time before the race shown symptoms
of distress and uneasiness, amounting to
positive melancholy, and not attributa-
BILE to any physical cause. A goat and
kid were procured and judiciously in
troduced to the stable, the result being
thus described by an eyewitness: "Ga-
leopsis seemed to take much interest in
them until the goat died; but the kid re-
mains, and the horse now vastly diverts
himself by lifting the little creature up
by the back of its neck with its teeth,
putting it down in the manger, careful
ly placing it on the ground again after
awhile, and then repeating the opera
tion."
There is an interesting record of the
strange dislike entertained by a pony
for particular horse with which it was
brought into daily contact, and the ex-
traordinary friendship formed by it for
calf in the same meadow. The pony
and calf became inseparable, show
ing their mutual regard in many divert
ing ways, greatly to the annoyance of
the calf's mother, who not unnaturally
evinced the utmost jealousy and resent
ment. Gilbert White relates how a
horse and hen, spending much Of their
time together in lonely orchard, also
became the fastest of friends: "The
fowl would approach the horse with
notes Of complacency, rubbing herself
gently against his legs, while the horse
would look down with satisfaction, and
move with the greatest caution and cir
cumspection lest he should trample on
his diminutive companion"
Dogs have so much. larger share of
liberty than horses or cattle
that-their friendships obviously lie more
at their own disposal. But notwith-
this fact they constantly make
friends Of the most unlikely birds'
and for the most inexplicable reasons.
No doubt some temporary alliances are
formed for the attainment of particu-
lar object, not always of creditable
kind. Attachments between members
Of the same race are of course common,
but attract the less notice on account of
their obvious reasonableness. Dogs,
however, are greatly addicted to queer
and constantly go out of their
in 1ac% Nf
formed between dogs and
geese, and even poultry in general are
quite remarkable. It is not generally
recognized that the goose is bird of ex-
sagacity-it has even been
described as of great intellectual capaci-
this mutual regard of fur and
feather may proceed on an understand
ng that overrides the distinctions of race.
The species of goose known as the
gray lag" is especially remarkable for
ts strong and frequent attachments to
he dog. One that was rescued by
nastiff from the insidious attack of
OK showed consciousness of its obliga-
ions and desire to return them that
we're touching in their obvious feeling.
The goose entirely abandoned the soci-
ETY. Of its kind, roasted in the dogs ken
lel and followed it in it's daily wander
ngs over large farm and through the
leighboring village. The dog happen
ng to fall i'll the goose would not leave
i'm night or day, and would to all APP
have been starved had not
IAN of corn been placed for it every day
lear the kennel.
The French naturalist Houzeau also
elates how Chinese goose made friends
With dog at first sight, uttering threats
I vengeance against any person or an
NAL Offering to interfere with its favor
to, In whose occasional absence it was
nconsolable. Dogs and fowls also enter
nto amicable relations for reasons much
ass apparent to onlookers than to them
elves. A hen and retriever became
, strongly attached that the former
aid her eggs and Matched her chickens
his kennel, an interesting observer
emarking how, on the hen leaving or
altering her nest, the dog would move
1on the threshold to make way, while
my attempt to touch the eggs in the alb
ence Of the hen was met by his imme-
Late dispprobation.
Another remarkable friendship grew
p between spaniel and young cock.
which was for some reason perfectly os-
racized by his fellows and not allowed.
. feed with the other poultry in the
arTnvard Tho crania1 xvoc oonc+o,,+1..