The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-07-12
SENSE OF DIRECTION.
Animals That Seem to Possess 1t to a
Wonderful Extent.

1t is we'll known that any of our
domestic animals can find It's way home
from a distance of many miles. even
after the lapse of some time. This
faculty IS perhaps oftenest seen in the
dog, the horse and the eat, but is
known to be almost or quite as fully
developed in the OK, says the lOuh'S
C0HlpuHi0R. The faculty has been sup
posed by some naturalisls 10 depend
upon a sixth sense. independent of
sight or smell. Such theory involves
an organ of sense by which the needed
observations may be carried to the
brain,an organ which must be distinct
from eye, ear and uosuil. Physi-
OlOgiSts have not as yet found any
such organ in the constitution of any
animal nor have they found any nerves
different from those which belong 20
our own nervous system. This is al
most conclusive evidence that ami
| mails possess no sense different from
ours.
If we watch the conduct of a doc
when he is thrown upon his own re-
sources to find his way nome we will
see that he has made good use of his
| five senses up to this time and that he
| purposes to make good use of them in
| the immediate future. 1t is always as
| sumed that the dog has not slept dur
| ing the time that he has been carried
| from home. If he were to sleep he
would lose all cleW whether he had a
| sixth sense or not, for in sleep all the
| senses are equally dormant
The ease has been submitted of a
| dog taken by rail 4 distance of 200
miles in a circutious course and set
| down fifty miles from home. He dis
appears and the next day is at his old
/ haunts, He could not have followed
the rail by which he came. for this
would take him Il longer time. He
| must have struck across country.
The question is: Did he take a direct
| line for home or did he shape his GEN
| eral course SO as to come out upon
some familiar spot, miles, it may be.
| from his home. and from that point
follow remembered paths? Hunters
| say that the latter is most frequently
| the ease.
Suppose that in the dogs absence the
| old home has been burned down and
| his masters family have moved five
miles to the right or left. but are at The
same distance from the point at which
| he was set down. lie will 90 back to
/ the old spot, and from there will trace
! the family by scent, if he traces them
| at all. He has no sense TO inform him
| Of the changed position of the family,
| OF Of anything more than would be
| known 10 Il man under the same cir
| cumstances.
| But the case is made clearer by sup
| posing that the dogs master has left
| home, gun in hand, while the dog has
| been detained for time. The man
/ goes straight to tI.e woods, but, after
| getting out of sight, makes 4 turn so
Is to bring him to the opposite side
| Of the house. II now the dog is let
| loose he takes to the woods nj the
| point where he saw his master enter
| From there he trusts to his eyes and
nose, keeping close upon his masters
| trail.
| If the dog had n special sense of
| direction he would not so easily be
! thrown off the pursuit of a deer or
| fox by the animal taking TO the water.
| Every species of animal that has been
made the prey of dogs has learned TO
| battle pursuit by deceiying the sight or
would have been likely to lind ont be-
fore this time if the doc Ind any speciol
spnse and we shouId See tbnn1 acting
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