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 terrier, known to Professor Owen, was taught to play at hide and seek
with his master, who summoned him, by saying "Let us have a game," upon
which the dog immediately hid his eyes between his paws, in the most
honourable manner, and when the gentleman had placed a sixpence, or a
piece of cake in a most improbable place, he started up and invariably
found it. His powers were equalled by what was called a Fox-terrier,
named Fop, who would hide his eyes, and suffer those at play with him to
conceal themselves before he looked up. If his playfellow hid himself
behind a window curtain, Fop would, for a certain time, carefully pass
that curtain, and look behind all the others, behind doors, etc., and
when he thought he had looked long enough, seize the concealing curtain
and drag it aside in triumph. The drollest thing, however, was to see
him take his turn of hiding; he would get under a chair, and fancy that
he was not seen; of course, those at play with him pretended not to see
him, and it was most amusing to witness his agitation as they passed.
When he was ill he had been cured by some homœopathic globules, and ever
after, if anything were the matter with him, he would stand near the
medicine box, and hold his mouth open.
A black and tan terrier, belonging to a linen-draper in Swindon,
directly the shop was opened in the morning, was in the habit of going
to the post-office with his master; the letter bag was put into his
mouth, and he carried it home. One morning he took it into his head to
precede his master, and go alone. The post-master, on seeing him, felt
so certain his owner was at the door, that he delivered the bag to him,
with which he ran home while his master was seeking him. From that time
it became his regular duty to fetch the letters daily.
Sir Walter Scott tells us of the remarkable comprehension of human
language evinced by his Bull-dog terrier, called Camp. He understood so
many words, that Sir Walter felt convinced an intercourse with dumb
animals might be enlarged. Camp once, bit the baker, for which Sir
Walter beat him, and, at the same time, explained the enormity of the
offence; after which, to the last moment of his life, he never heard the
least allusion to the story, in whatever voice or tone it might be
mentioned, without getting up and retiring into the darkest corner of
the room, with great appearance of distress. Then, if it were said that
the baker had been well paid, or that the baker was not hurt after all,
Camp came forward, capered, barked, and rejoiced. When he was unable,
towards the end of his life, to attend his master in his rides, he
watched for his return, and the servant used to tell him Sir Walter was
coming down the hill, or through the moor, Camp never mistook him,
although he did not use any gesture, but either went out at the front to
ascend the hills, or at the back to get at the moor side.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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