Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-30
THE CLEvERNEsS OF ANIMALS.
Stories Which Indicate That They
Possess the Power of Reason.

rom the ST. Nlcholas
Cats seem to know what dogs they can
Brighten and drive off as well as those
from which they would do well to steer
clear. / have often seen pet cat of ours
drive a big dog away from her dish on
the back porch. causing him to set I'D
such howl that one might suppose a
catamount were after him; and again 1
have seen A fox terrier send the same
cat flying up a tree as fast as she could
climb IT. without any questioning as 10
whether it were best to go or not.
Nearly every one has noticed the re-
markable knowing quality developed in
all shepherd dogs. According to my own
personal observation these dogs help to
keep the herds in the road and drive
them In the right direction; they know
their masters sheep and cattle; they can
separate one herd from another; they
can keep each in its own special pasture;
they can prevent their masters sheep
from mingling with his neghbor's-es-
pecially when the flock comes TO a break
In the wall or fence or hedge, through
which the sheep seem to have an almost
irresistible tendency to pass-and on ac-
count of their great intelligence shepherd
dogs are an almost Indispensable aid to
all those who have TO manage sheep or
cattle.
The cattle dogs Of Cuba are but little
less intelligent in their management OF
these animals as they are landed from
Of that country. Two dogs swim beside
each steer. for each steer is thrown into
the water to find its own way ashore.
and these dogs guide 1t by the ears until
the animals feet touch bottom. when
they Immediately let go and return 10
the ship to assist another steer in reach
ing land in the same manner.
Darwin describes a trick played on a
monkey to show its intelligence. Jumps
Of sugar wrapped in paper were first
given to him. Then for sugar live
wasp was substituted, but after meeting
with an unpleasant experience from the
wasp the monkey put the next package
to his ear to learn II IT might be safely
opened. This action showed that the
monkey had memory and considerable
wisdom and had discovered that a wasp
buzzes when wrapped in paper.
The elephant looks stupid enough. but
his intelligence is developed to a marked
degree. DR.. Romanes tells several in
teresting stories showing the almost hui
man instinct Of these animals. A man
was one day feeding tame elephant with
potatoes which the elephant took from
his hand. A small round potato fell on
the ground just out of reach.
After several unsuccessful attempts TO
get 1t the animal blew so strong a blast
against a wall. from which IL rebounded
SO far that he easily reached il. IL is
said that an elephant will often blow
just beyond small objects out OF reach
so that the reflected current OF air will
drive them toward him.
DR.. Romanes repeats the story of an
elephant that was chained to a tree near
a little oven in which his driver had just
baked some rice cakes. When the driver
went away, leaving his cakes to cool,
the elephant unfastened the chain from
his leg, uncovered the oven. opened IL.
ate the cakes and covered the oven with
earth and stones as he had found it. He
then returned to his place and wound
the chain about his leg as it was before
although he could not fasten il. The
driver, on his return, found the elephant
with his back toward the oven, and
looking innocent. but the cakes had COM
pletely disappeared.