It will be readily observed how important these muscles are, and how every expressive look in a Dog’s countenance can be referred to the action of one or more of them. [Illustration: MUSCLES OF DOG’S HEAD. (_After Sir C. Bell_) _a_, Circular muscle round the eyelids; _b_, _d_, scintillantes; _f_, _g_, _h_, muscles of the ear; _i_, _k_, ringentes; _m_, circular fibres of the mouth; _n_, muscle drawing back the angle of the mouth; _o_, cutaneous muscle, for moving the skin of the neck.] There can be no doubt that Dogs are perfectly capable of communicating their thoughts to one another, and of understanding one another’s meaning as well as that of their masters. One often sees two Dogs, after a friendly sniff, carry on a small conversation, before trotting on their ways, evidently quite as fond of a little chat as Burns’s celebrated “twa Dogs,” who “Foregather’d ance upon a time * * * * * Nae doubt but they were fain o’ ither, An’ unco pack and thick thegither; Wi’ social nose whyles snuff’d and snowkit; Whyles mice and moudieworts[103] they howkit; Whyles scour’d awa in lang excursion, An’ worry’d ither in diversion; Until wi’ daffin weary grown, upon a knowe they sat them down, And there began a lang digression About the lords o’ the creation.” The method of hunting in packs adopted by wild Dogs is an undoubted proof of the faculty of combining together for a definite end, a number of animals agreeing to hunt a quarry, which one alone would be powerless against. But there are many instances of civilised Dogs concocting plans in the cleverest way, and carrying them out with a care and circumspection perfectly wonderful in a “dumb animal.” For instance, Mr. Romanes says:--“A small Skye and a large Mongrel were in the habit of hunting Hares and Rabbits upon their own account, the small Dog having a good nose, and the large one great fleetness. These qualities they combined in the most advantageous manner, the Terrier driving the game from the cover towards his fleet-footed companion, which was waiting for it outside.” The same gentleman gives another and still more curious instance:--