A Hundred Anecdotes of Animals Part 9

A favourite house-dog, left to the care of its master's servants, while he was himself away, would have been starved by them if it had not had recourse to the kitchen of a friend of its master's, which in better days it had occasionally visited. On the return of the master it enjoyed plenty at home, and stood in no further need of the liberality it experienced; but still it did not forget that hospitable kitchen where it had found a resource in adversity. A few days after, the dog fell in with a duck, which, as he found in no private pond, he probably concluded to be no private property. He s.n.a.t.c.hed up the duck in his teeth, carried it to the kitchen where he had been so hospitably fed, laid it at the cook's feet, with many polite movements of the tail, and then scampered off with much seeming complacency at having given this testimony of his grateful sense of favours.

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ANECDOTE LXXII.

a.s.sisting the Aged.

A captain of cavalry in a French regiment mentions that a horse belonging to his company, being from age unable to eat his hay or grind his oats, was fed for two months by two horses on his right and left, who ate with him. These two horses, drawing the hay out of the rack, chewed it, and then put it before the old horse, and did the same with the oats, which he was then able to eat.

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ANECDOTE LXXIII.

Oyster Opening.

A well-known traveller relates a circ.u.mstance concerning the orang-otang in its wild state, which is indicative of very considerable powers, both of reflection and invention. When the fruits on the mountains are exhausted, they will frequently descend to the sea-coast, where they feed on various species of sh.e.l.l-fish, but in particular on a large sort of oyster, which commonly lies open on the sh.o.r.e. "Fearful," he says, "of putting in their paws, lest the oyster should close and crush them, they insert a stone as a wedge within the sh.e.l.l; this prevents it from closing, and they then drag out their prey, and devour it at leisure."

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ANECDOTE LXXIV.

Sonnini and his Cat.

M. Sonnini, when in Egypt, had an Angora cat, of which he was extremely fond. It was entirely covered with long white silken hairs; its tail formed a magnificent plume, which the animal elevated at pleasure over its body. Not one spot, nor a single dark shade, tarnished the dazzling white of its coat. Its nose and lips were of a delicate rose colour. Two large eyes sparkled in its round head: one was of a light yellow, and the other of a fine blue.

This beautiful animal had even more loveliness of manners than grace in its att.i.tude and movements. However ill any one used her, she never attempted to advance her claws from their sheaths. Sensible to kindness, she licked the hand which caressed, and even that which tormented her. In Sonnini's solitary moments, she chiefly kept by his side; she interrupted him often in the midst of his labours or meditations, by little caresses extremely touching, and generally followed him in his walks. During his absence she sought and called for him incessantly. She recognised his voice at a distance, and seemed on each fresh meeting with him to feel increased delight.

"This animal," says Sonnini, "was my princ.i.p.al amus.e.m.e.nt for several years. How was the expression of attachment depicted upon her countenance!

How many times have her caresses made me forget my troubles, and consoled me in my misfortunes! My beautiful and interesting companion, however, at length perished. After several days of suffering, during which I never forsook her, her eyes, constantly fixed on me, were at length extinguished; and her loss rent my heart with sorrow."

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ANECDOTE LXXV.

Division of Labour.

The Alpine marmots are said to act in concert in the collection of materials for the construction of their habitations. Some of them, we are told, cut the herbage, others collect it into heaps; a third set serve as waggons to carry it to their holes; while others perform all the functions of draught horses. The manner of the latter part of the curious process is this. The animal who is to serve as the waggon lies down on his back, and extending his four limbs as wide as he can, allows himself to be loaded with hay; and those who are to be the draught horses trail him thus loaded by the tail, taking care not to overset him. The task of thus serving as the vehicle being evidently the least enviable part of the business, is taken by every one of the party in turn.

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ANECDOTE LXXVI.

Crab Fis.h.i.+ng.

The following is an instance of the extraordinary cunning manifested by the Rac.o.o.n. It is fond of crabs, and when in quest of them, will stand by the side of a swamp, and hang its tail over into the water; the crabs, mistaking it for food, are sure to lay hold of it; and as soon as the beast feels them pinch, he pulls them out with a sudden jerk. He then takes them to a little distance from the water's edge; and in devouring them, is careful to get them crossways in his mouth, lest he should suffer from their nippers.

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ANECDOTE LXXVII.

Rare Honesty.

A mastiff dog, who owed more to the bounty of a neighbour than to his master, was once locked by mistake in the well-stored pantry of his benefactor for a whole day, where milk, b.u.t.ter, bread, and meat, within his reach, were in abundance. On the return of the servant to the pantry, seeing the dog come out, and knowing the time he had been confined, she trembled for the devastation which her negligence must have occasioned; but on close examination, it was found that the honest creature had not tasted of anything, although, on coming out, he fell on a bone that was given to him, with all the voraciousness of hunger.

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ANECDOTE LXXVIII.

Of Two Evils Choosing the Least.

A French dog was taught by his master to execute various commissions, and among others, to fetch him victuals from a restaurant in a basket. One evening when the dog was returning to his master thus furnished, two other dogs, attracted by the savoury smell issuing from the basket, determined to attack him. The dog put his basket on the ground, and set himself courageously against the first that advanced against him; but while he was engaged with the one, the other ran to the basket, and began to help himself. At length, seeing that there was no chance of beating both dogs, and saving his master's dinner, he threw himself between his two opponents, and without further ceremony, quickly despatched the remainder of the victuals himself, and then returned to his master with the empty basket.

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ANECDOTE LXXIX.