The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1903-03-20


reader" out he adds; 'True as
natural history they are not" He
says further; 'There are no stories
of animal intelligence and cunning
record that match Mr.. Thompson
Seton 81. However he insists that
Thompson Seton goes too far when
he says that animals talk or reason,
in a way, or adapt their cunning to
unusual circumstances.
Mr.. Burroughs does not believe
that animals teach animals. because
the young of animals act on instinct,
and do not have to be taught.
Therefore, he says, while Thompson
Seton's stories ''are entertaining
and increase the love of man for
his interest in wild animals, the
artist has used an artists privilege
to heighten and deepen natural
effects" and in doing this, has
missed the ordinary reader.
Thompson Seton, in Milwaukee on
Tuesday, answered that part of the
Burroughs criticism which concerns
an animal language. He insists that
animals have some sort Of language,
and that this fact is supported not
only by his own observation, but
by the experience Of wood1nen and
plainsmen who have studied wild
animals in the West and Northwest
far more than Mr.. Burroughs him
self.
He gives specific cases in which
after close study of wolves and foxes
and their calls and cries, he repeated
the same sounds in the geological
gardens in Cincinnati and New
York, and they were recognized and
acted upon by the wolves and foxes
here. He says in conclusion:
Animals can talk. Their language
is very simple and very rudimental.
Man is the only animal that can
converse as we understood the term
but annals have a means Of convey
ing ideas one to another by means
Of sound.
Incidents occur every day to prove
that the Canadian author is not ex-
travagant in his delineation of
animal character and intelligence.
For example, man living in one
of the suburbs Of Chicago has two
dogs-a large Dane and small cur.
Both are very fond of doughnuts.
A few weeks ago when doughnuts
we've cooking in the kitchen, the
Dane was in an adjoining yard.
The cur kept close watch on the
cook and received his doughnut and
ate it. Then he went to the divid-
ing fence near which the Dane was
lying in the sun and gave two or
three banks. The Dane went i'm
mediately to the kitchen window,
and with his paws on the window
sill, asked for his doughnut and
received it. Evidently the cur told
the Dane about the doughnuts.
In the home of the writer there
are several children. A collie has
been taught to play hide and seek.
He goes into back room when the
time comes to hide, and at call
returns and searches for the children.
This is, of course, explainable with
out entering upon the field discussed
by Mr.. Burroughs or Thompson
Seton.
However, the father of the
children has tried scores of expert
ments in which he has said in a
loud tone to one of the boys, "Hide
under the sofa," or 'Hide behind
the bookcase and every time the
dog has gone at once to the article
of furniture named. The unavoid-
able inference is that he understood
what ''sofa' and bookcase" meant
Certainly dogs and horses learn
the word of command, learn too
obey without question and this is
not stranger that crows should act
on word of command from a leader
or that wolves should talk to one
another of suspected danger or of
methods of escape.
Close contact with animals cer-
tainly strengthens the belief in the