up the letters of the alphabet, at the word of command, so as to spell the name of any person in company. A tame magpie spontaneously learns from imitation, to pay regard to some of the shining objects which he observes are much noticed. A piece of money, a tea-spoon, or a ring, are tempting prizes to him; and a whole family has been put into confusion, by suspicions concerning the loss of such things, which have been afterwards found in the lurking-hole of this bird. In a state of nature, his observation and experience are sometimes applied to the benefit of others of the feathered race: for when a fowler is stealing upon a flock of wild ducks or geese, the magpie will sound his shrill note of alarm, and rouse them to provide for their safety by immediate flight.Goldsmith, vol. 5.

The famous parrot which the Count O'Kelly bought for fifty guineas at Bristol, not only repeated all things, but answered almost every thing; and so strong was it's retention, that it sung a variety of tunes with exquisite melody. It beat time with all the appearance of science, and so accurate was it's judgment, that, if, by chance, it mistook a note, it would revert to the bar where the mistake occurred, correct itself, and still beating regular time, go through the whole with wonderful exactness. It sung whatever air was desired, and intimated an express knowledge of every request.

The docility of dogs is remarkable in frequently being the guides of blind men.

FEAR, NOT NATURAL. Fear does not appear natural to animals, but acquired. A hawk or an owl are universally known among small birds as common enemies, but will confidently hop and peck within the reach of poultry, tho' they are much larger in size

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than a hawk or an owl. Crows will fearlessly approach a horse, and jack-daws will alight upon the backs of cows and asses to pick insects or hairs, but will not remain within the reach of a fowler.

M. Bouganville relates, that at his arrival at the Malouine, or Falkland's Islands, which were not inhabited by men, all the animals came about himself and his people; the fowls settling upon their heads and shoulders, and the quadrupeds running about their feet. From the difficulty of acquiring the confidence of old animals, and the ease of taming young ones, it appears that the fear which they all conceive at the sight of mankind, is an acquired article of knowledge. This knowledge is nicely possessed by rooks. They know that the danger is great when a man is armed with a gun: at his approach, in the spring, they rise on their wings and scream to their unfledg ed young, to shrink into their nests from the sight of the enemy. It is extremely probable, that the gentler tribes of animals fear man and avoid him from the tyranny he continually exercises over them, and not from natural instinct, or from the dignity of man's appearance, as some, fond of flattering themselves, have conjectured.

There are many articles of knowledge, which the animals in cultivated countries seem to learn very early in their lives, either from each other or from experience or observation: one of the most general of these is to avoid mankind. Mr. Gmelin, Professor at Petersburg, assures us, that in his journey into Siberia, undertaken by order of the Empress of Russia, he saw foxes, that expressed no fear of himself or companions, but permitted him to come quite near them, having never seen the human form before.

The reason of animals seems to be acquired from

accident and experience, and communicated to future generations by example. The late circumnavigators observed at Duskey-bay, in Newzealand, that numbers of small birds, which dwelt in the woods were so unacquainted with men, that they hopped upon the nearest branches to them, and even upon their fowling-pieces, perhaps viewing the strangers as new objects, with a pleasing curiosity. This fearlessness at first protected them from harm, as it was impossible to shoot them under such circumstances. But, in a few days, it proved the cause of their destruction; for a sly cat belonging to the ship, perceiving so easy an opportunity of obtaining delicious meals, regularly took her walk in the woods every morning and made great havock among the birds, which had before no experience of such an insidious enemy.-Forster's Voyage, with Capt. Cook, vol. 1. p. 128. ACQUIRED HABITS OF ANIMALS. "When I see the several actions and designs of my dog, I profess it is impossible to avoid being amazed. His passions are more quick than those of many men. There are some whose joy or grief at accidents, give them so little emotion, and are so dull, as to render it difficult to say which it is that affects them: but, in this honest animal, both are lively and strong. When any of the family return home, he discovers great gladness in caressing and skipping about them, and seems dull and concerned at their going out. But there is one among them whom he distinguishes in a most peculiar manner. When this person goes abroad, he is void of all comfort, and sits in a window crying incessantly, refusing victuals, and watching for his friend's return; who is always welcomed by much rejoicing and noise. If he wants to go out of the he puts his fore feet up against one of the com

room,

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pany, and, being taken notice of, runs to the door, rising up against it in the same manner, looking at the person he gave notice to before, till he be let out. If he wants drink, he gives the same notice and im. mediately runs into a closet, where stands a bottle of water, continuing to run to and from the person till he be served."-Dr. Parson on Animals and Vegetables.

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"On the northern coast of Ireland," says Dr. Darwin, a friend of mine saw above a hundred crows at once preying on muscles; each crow took a muscle up into the air, twenty or forty yards high, and let it fall upon the stones, and thus by breaking the shell, got possession of the animal." Eagles are said to act in the same manner, by the tortoise.

Instances of the sagacity and knowledge of animals are very numerous to every observer, and their docility in learning various arts from mankind, evinces that they may learn similar arts from their own species, and thus be possessed of much acquired and traditional knowledge. It is said, the reason of brutes is stationary, they never improve. This is not true. Individuals of the same species of animals differ in degree of sagacity, in the same manner as individuals of the human race. Their sagacity depends also, like that of the human race, on their situation. The otter, says Abbé Raynal, in Europe, a stupid and solitary animal, has made in America a greater progress in the arts of civil society than the native tribes of Indians. Horses, in this country, are not political animals, but in the deserts of Tartary and Siberia they are political; for, being there hunted by the Tartars, as hares and deer are in this country, they, for selfpreservation, form themselves into a kind of community, and take joint measures for saving themselves,

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which they commonly do by flight; and that they may not be surprised by the enemy, they set watches, and have commanders who direct and hasten their flight. -Monboddo on Language. vol. i, 231. Even the sheep, when wild, set watches in the night-time against their enemy the fox, who give notice of his approach, and when he attacks them they draw up in a body, and defend themselves.-Ibid.

OF THE FRIENDSHIP OF ANIMALS. That protection which the fostering care of the human race afforded to the cattle of the field, was amply repaid by the fleecy warmth of the lamb, by the rich, the salubrious libations of the cow. Sometimes, too, a tie still more tender, cemented the friendship between man and other animals. Infants, in the earlier ages of the world, were not unseldom committed to the teats of the tenants of the field. Towards the Goat that gave him suck, the fond boy felt the throb of filial gratitude; and the bowels of the ewe have yearned, with maternal tenderness, for the children of men. This is proved not only by solitary and fortuitous examples, but by the practice of whole nations. "The original inhabitants of the Canary Islands are called by Linschoten, and other authors, Guanchos. They were a rude uncivilized people, every one taking as many wives as he pleased. As to their children, they gave them to the goats to suckle." [Astley's Voyages, v. i. p. 5.] Thus educated, together, they were endeared to each other by mutual benefits; and a fond, a lively friendship was the consequence of their union. Their preservation depends generally on the protection of men, while man receives from them the most essential services. "It is not highly unreasonable," says Porphyrius, de Abstin. lib. 3. "to assert, that the rules of justice should be obser