Year: 1875




visions and regulations as are now provided
by law for the review of other causes to said
court.


REASONING POWER OF ANIMALS.


A discussion on this subject having been
started in the London Times, Colonel Stuart
Wortley sends the following interesting facts.
He says:


When serving at the Cape Of Good Hope,
I went far into the interior of the country on
a shooting expedition, and one morning, hav-
ing shot besblok on one of the open plains.
1 left it on the spot where it was killed while
1 rode off in search of water. My Cafre boys
demonstrated, declaring the vultures would
eat it; but as the sky was clear and no vul-
lures in sight, disbelieved, and we rode off,
On returning in about an hour and half the
dead animal was devoured to the bones, and
dozen gorged vultures were finishing their
meal. 1t is, think, certain that vision only
could have led these birds to their prey, and
vision of remarkable keenness, for when we
left the dead animal no vulture was in sight,
even in the farthest distance was so struck
with this marvellous keenness of sight that
tried the experiment often afterward, and al
ways with the same result. In these cases no
taint of decomposition had set in, and the only
other possible alternative would be that the
birds could have heard the report of my gun,
and been attracted by it. But that hypothe
sis is negatived by the fact that l frequently
run down deer with dogs, and the vultures
have in that case as quickly and certainly ap-
peared as in cases where the animals were shot.


Now for few words on dogs and other an
imas. [ ain one of those who believe that we
usually underestimate the reasoning power of
animals. believe they think, and reason
out course of action from their thoughts.
The following anecdotes bear on this point.
l have very favorite Skye terrier, bred and
sold to me by the famous Bill George many
years ago. His eyes are now dina with age,
he is stone deaf, but he is sitting now by my
side with his wise old face turned up toward
me, and look of reasoning love upon it.
This dog is thinker and reasoner; witness
his acts. Some years ago spent winter in
Naples, and went often to library to read the
newspapers. My dog went with me, but as
he would quarrel with the library dog, he was
shut out. But one morning the door-bell
rang, and on the door being opened, in rushed
"Cloudy." There was no one at the door, and
as the same thing occurred again on my next
visit, it was clear the dog rang the bell. The
door was watched the next time, and it was so !;
the bell.pull was cord, hanging down, and
the dog jumped at it, till either with paws or
teeth, he jerked it sufficiently to ring the bell
But once he heard the bell tinkle inside, he
left off jumping, and posted himself in posi-
ton to rush in the moment the door was
opened Again, at a croquet party, ball
was knocked into the water; "Cloudy went
in after it, but it was much too big for his
mouth, and after many vain attempts to get
hold of it, he swan back. Halfway to the
bank, however, he reasoned, and swimming
back to the ball, he padded it along in front
of him by nose and feet to the bank, up
which, and on to the lawn he brought it in the
same way.


1 could tell many more stories Of this dogs
wisdom, but will mention one more trait in
his character. He had to make the journey
from Paris to Marseilles in dog.box, and he
never now is taken to a railway station but
he instantly flies into carriage and ensconces
in corner, whence no railway porter in Eng
land could "draw" him. This is from his
recollection and horror of his dog-box prison.


Another dog of mine reasoned. After the
battle of Inkerman fine Russian dog re-
mained with his masters body, and l took him
away. He tolerated me, but at intervals Of
ten days or so would 90 down valley in front
of our camp, into Sebastapol, and not return
for day or two. Clearly he went to search
for his lost and loved master, and failing to
find him, returned to his friend. The dog
never recovered the loss of his master, and
even when living in England would 60 rest
lessly in search of him. Many of my friends
and relations will remember old "Menschi-
koff:" Even my pug, by no means clever
dog, has sufficient reasoning power to have
learned to open the lid of croquet box, and
fish out ball when he wants to have game
of play.


Few people would credit cat with reason
ing power; but the one which acted as follows
certainly did. After the French troops had
taken the MalakofFI was sent into it on duty,
and found all unhappy cat bayonetted through
the foot and pinned to the ground. | took
her to my tent, she was carefully tended, and
every morning taken to the doctor to have her
wound attended to- Four or five days after,
l was too i'll one morning to get up, puss
came and scratched at my tent door. l took
no notice, but not long afterward the doctor
came to say that mine was wise cat, for she
had come to his tent and sat quietly down for
her foot to be examined and have its usual
bandaging. She was watched to see what she
would do the next morning, but she declined
wasting her time scratching for me, and went
straight to the doctors tent and scratched
there Sure she reasoned She was very
afectionate animal, and it was absurd to see
her following me all over the camp with her
tail carried stiff in the air.


must not occupy more space, or | could
tell many other stories but think l have
said enough to show that animals have rea-
soning power, and are not merely, as DIR.
Bree seems to think, guided by scent alone.


PITY.-We are taught by law Of civili-
cation which we call humanity, to feel for the
SORROWS and distresses of our neighbors.
Without the sentiment of pity, society would
be little better than menagerie Of wild ami
mails, wherein each fought for his own hand,
and no one gave a thought to the sufferings or
the rights Of others but pity makes these
wild animals into men, and substitutes for the
sel6shness of individualism the community of
race and the duty of mutual help.