The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-20
wHENANIMALs sEEMToREAsoN
Stories Which Demonstrate Their
CieVerness

cieVerness
Cats seem TO know what dogs
they can brighten and drive oil, as
well as those from whom they would
do well TO steer clear" says a writer
in St Nicholas. Il have often seen
pet cat of ours drive a big dog away
from her dish on The back porch,
causing him to set up such howl
that one might suppose a catamount
were after him; and again | have
seen a fox terrier send the same cat
flying up a tree as fast as she could
climb it, without any questioning as
to whether il were best to go or not.
Nearly everyone has noticed the
remarkable knowing quality develop
ed 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 mas
ters sheep and cattle; they can sep
arate one herd from another; they
can keep each in its own special pas
ture they can prevent their masters
sheep from mingling with his neigh
bor's-especia when the flock
comes to a break in the wall or fence
or ledge, through which the sheep
seem to have an almost irresistible
tendency to pass-and on account 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 manage
ment of these animals as they are
landed from the live stock vessels
in some ports 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 it by the ears until the
animals feet touch bottom, when
they Immediately let go and return
to the ship to assist another steer in
reaching land in the same manner
Darwin describes trick played
on a monkey to show ire intelligence.
Jumps of sugar wrapped In p
we're first given to n4m. Then for
sugar live wasp was substituted,
but after meeting with an unpleasant
experience from the wasp the mon
key put the next package to his ear
TO learn if it might be safely opened.
This action showed that the monkey
had memory and considerable wis
dom and had discovered that a wasp
buzzes when wrapped in paper,
THE elephant looks stupid enough
but his intelligence is developed to
marked degree. DR. Romanes tells
several interesting stories showing
the almost human instinct OF these
animals. a man was one day feed
ing 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 az
tennis TO get it the animal blew so
strong a blast Of breath against II
that il was dashed against the wall,
from which it rebounded so far that
he easily reached H. It is said that
an elephant will often blow Just be
yond small objects out of reach so
that the reflected current Of air VIII
drive them toward him.
DIR. Romanes repeets 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 eleph-
ant 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 1t was before, although he
could not fasten IT, The driver on
his return, found the elephant with
his back toward the oven, and look
ing innocent but the cakes had com
pletely disappeared.