OCR Text |
Show 124 SPECIAL EXPUESSION8 : Cl!.\1'. Y. 1\fr. Dartlctt infonns 1ne that when two of these anin1a.l. fight together, they are n1utually conscious of the wonaerful power of each other's jaws, and are extremely cautious. They well know that if one of their legs were Reized, tho bone would instantly be crushed into atoms; hence they approach each other kneeling, with their legs turned as much as possible inwards, and with their whole bodies bowed, so as not to present any salient point; the tail at the same time being closely tucked in between the leo-s. In this attitude"they approach each other sidewa;s, or even partly backwards. So again ":ith deer several of the species, when savage and fighting, tuck' in their tails. vVhen one horse in a fi~ld tries to bite the hind-quarters of another. in play, or when a rough boy strikes a donkey from behind, the hindquarters and the tail are drawn in, though it do~s not appear as if this were done merely to saye the ta1l frmn being injured. We have also seen the reverse of these movements; for when an animal trots with high elastic steps, the tail is almost always carried aloft. As I have said, when a dog is chased and runs away, be keeps his ears directed backwards but still open ; and this is clearly done for the sake of hearing the footsteps of his pursuer. From habit the ears are often held in this same position, and the tail tucked in, when the danger is obviously in front. I have repeatedly noticed, with a timid terrier of 1nine, that when she is afraid of some object in front, the nature of which she perfectly knows and does not need to reconnoitre, yet she will · for a long time hold her ears and tail in this position, looking the image of disco1nfort. Discomfort, without any fear, is similarly expressed.: thus, one day I went out of doors, just at the time when this same dog knew that her dinner would be brought. I did not call her, but she wished much to accompany me, and at the same DO lS. 12~ tin1e she wished much for her d.inner; and there ·bo stood, first looking one way and then the other, with her tail tucked in and ears drawn back, pre enting an unmistakable appearance of perplexed discomfort. Almost all the expressive movements now described, with the exception of the grinning from joy, are innate or instinctive, for they are common to all the indiviuuals, young and old, of all the breeds. Most of them are likewise common to tho aboriginal parents of tho dog, namely the wolf and jackal; and so1ne of them to other species of the same group. Tamed wol Yes anJ jackals, when caressed by their masters, jump aLout ior joy, wng their tails, lower theh~ ears, lick their master's hands, crouch down, and even throw themselves on the ground belly upwards.4 I have seen a ratlwr fox-like African jackal, from the Gaboon, depress its ears when caressed. Wolves and jackals, ·when frightened, certainly tuck in their tails; and a tamed jackal has been desc1·ibecl as careering round his 1naster in circles and figures of eight, like a dog, with his tail between his legs. It has been stated 5 that foxes, however tame, never display any of the above expressive movements; but this is not strictly accurate. Many years ago I observed in the Zoological Gardens, and recorded the fact at the time, that a very tame English fox, when caressed by the keeper, wagged its tail, depressed its ears, and then threw itself on the ground, belly upwards. The black fox 4 l\1any particulars arc giv<.n by Gucl<lcn&tii.dt in his account of the jackal in Nov. Comm. Acau. Sc. Imp. P otrop. 1775, tom. xx. p. 449. Sec also another excellent account of the manners of this animal anu of its play, in 'Land and Water,' October, J 8G9. Lieut. Annesley, R.A., has also communicated to me some particulars with l'e:::Jpect to tho jackal. I have made maoy inquiries about wolv H awl jackals iu tho Zoological Ganlcm;, and have observed thom for myscl_f. 5 'Laud aml \Vater/ November G, lt;tifJ. |