r, allures the large flesh-fly to deposit its
young worms on its beautiful petals, which perish there for want of
nourishment. This therefore cannot be a necessary instinct, because the
creature mistakes the application of it.

Though in this country horses shew little vestiges of policy, yet in the
deserts of Tartary, and Siberia, when hunted by the Tartars they are seen
to form a kind of community, set watches to prevent their being surprised,
and have commanders, who direct, and hasten their flight, Origin of
Language, Vol. I. p. 212. In this country, where four or five horses travel
in a line, the first always points his ears forward, and the last points
his backward, while the intermediate ones seem quite careless in this
respect; which seems a part of policy to prevent surprise. As all animals
depend most on the ear to apprize them of the approach of danger, the eye
taking in only half the horizon at once, and horses possess a great nicety
of this sense; as appears from their mode of fighting mentioned No. 8. 5.
of this Section, as well as by common observation.

There are some parts of a horse, which he cannot conveniently rub, when
they itch, as about the shoulder, which he can neither bite with his teeth,
nor scratch with his hind foot; when this part itches, he goes to another
horse, and gently bites him in the part which he wishes to be bitten, which
is immediately done by his intelligent friend. I once observed a young foal
thus bite its large mother, who did not choose to drop the grass she had in
her mouth, and rubbed her nose against the foal's neck instead of biting
it; which evinces that she knew the design of her progeny, and was not
governed by a necessary instinct to bite where she was bitten.

Many of our shrubs, which would otherwise afford an agreeable food to
horses, are armed with thorns or prickles, which secure them from those
animals; as the holly, hawthorn, gooseberry, gorse. In the extensive
moorlands of Staffordshire, the horses have learnt to stamp upon a
gorse-bush with one of their fore-feet for a minute together, and when the
points are broken, they eat it without injury. The horses in the new forest
in Hampshire are affirmed to do the same by Mr. Gilpin. Forest Scenery, II.
251, and 112. Which is an art other horses in the fertile parts of the
country do not possess, and prick their mouths till they bleed, if they are
induced by hunger or caprice to attempt eating gorse.

Swine have