Abstract
I SEND you the following instance of intelligence in dogs:—Last summer, when on a visit at the château of my son-in-law, M. Richard Waddington, Deputé, near Rouen, I had taken a walk in the grounds, accompanied by some of the family, and two favourite dogs, named respectively Minos and Rhadamanthus, followed the party, as usual, throughout the stroll. When nearing the house, on the return, my young grand-daughter remarked that Minos had lost his collar. The party came to a halt, debating whether it was worth while to go back on a searching expedition, for the pleasure grounds are somewhat extensive, and the dogs had been rambling away from the paths among long grass. Both Minos and Rhadanianthus evidently seemed to listen to the debate. It was decided to make the search at a venture, and, without saying a word to the dogs, the party commenced to retrace their steps. As a rule, these two dogs are inseparable; wherever the one goes, the other goes, and invariably the two follow any members of the family when strolling about the place. At this juncture, however, Rhadanianthus, not having lost a collar, and having no special interest in the proposed search, went on her solitary way home to the stables; but Minos kept with the party, walking on the gravel path—and this for some distance—when suddenly he took to the meadow, commenced running, and presently he was observed to stop and remain fixed with his head pointed downwards, partly buried in the tall grass. Naturally he was followed. The point of his nose was in contact with the collar! Could any child of man, under similar circumstances, have displayed more thoughtful sagacity than did each of the above dogs on the above occasion? The one thought she was not wanted, and having had enough play, wisely went home, whilst the other, thinking that his presence was requisite, wisely returned with the searching party.
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MILES, C. [Letters to Editor]. Nature 20, 220 (1879). https://doi.org/10.1038/020220d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/020220d0
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