Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of AnimalsLee, R., Mrs.
General
Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
Lee, R., Mrs.
Animal behavior -- Juvenile literature
A friend told me the other day, that a horse had been in the habit of
going with his master a certain road, and stopping at the same inn,
where those who fed him always threw some beans into the corn put before
him. After a time, he and his master went from that part of the country,
and remained away for two years, then the same habits were resumed, and
the same inn frequented; the latter, however, had changed its owners.
While enjoying his dinner, the rider was informed, that his horse would
not eat, that he appeared to be perfectly well, but there was something
wrong about the corn, which they knew not how to rectify, for it was the
very best. The gentleman went to the stable, the horse neighed, looked
at him, and then at the manger, and it struck him suddenly, that the
animal missed the food he had been accustomed to receive there, and no
where else. "Throw some beans in," he said to the hostler; he was obeyed;
and the horse looked at him as if to express his thanks, and took his
meal contentedly.
I terminate these anecdotes with one concerning a cart horse, which I
never saw in print, but once. He had frequently given proofs of great
sagacity; but the chief was the following:--"During the winter, a large
wide drain had been made, and over this, strong planks had been placed
for our friend, the cart horse, to pass over to his stable. It had
snowed during the night, and had frozen very hard in the morning. How
he passed over the planks on going out to work, I know not; but, on
being turned loose from the cart at breakfast, he came up to them, and I
saw his fore feet slip: he drew back immediately, and seemed for a
moment at a loss how to get on. Close to these planks a cart load of
sand had been placed: he put his fore feet on this, and looked wistfully
to the other side of the drain."
The boy who attended this horse, and who had gone round by another path,
seeing him stand there, called him. The horse immediately turned round,
and set about scraping the sand most vigorously, first with one hind
foot, then with the other. The boy, perhaps wondering what he was going
to do, waited to see. When the planks were completely covered with sand,
the horse turned round again, unhesitatingly walked over, and trotted up
to his stable and driver.
[7] This seems to confirm the opinion of the Indians concerning the
solitary elephants.
THE ASS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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