family was at supper, one
of the collies was restless and barked continually, and gave such signs
of uneasiness as to assure all that something was wrong. His master went
to the door, and the dog ran to the gate in the front of the house, and
continued barking and lashing his tail with great energy. The master
followed to the front gate, and the dog immediately ran barking down the
road, but looking back from time to time to see that his master
followed, which he did, and was thus led to the open gate, where he
found the other collie on guard and keeping the cattle from passing,
which they were trying to do. What less than reason could have prompted
these dogs to such an act? And what less than speech could have enabled
them to execute this feat? They observed the neglect or error of the
driver, and foresaw the evil consequences, and it could only have been
by agreement reached through an interchange of thoughts that one of them
watched while the other gave the alarm. I have known some of these dogs
that knew certain cattle by name, and would go into the herd and drive
out the one whose name was designated, while it is true in other cases
that the dog would only drive out such as were pointed out to him. But
many instances proved that they are able to learn the names of the
cattle. It is certain that in many instances dogs know the names of the
children belonging to the family, and often distinguish them by name. I
presume no one doubts that they learn their own names, so that each dog
may know when he is called. I know a dog, now living near Leominster,
Mass., that extinguished an accidental fire which had been caused by the
hired man carelessly dropping a burning match in some straw in the
barn-yard after lighting his lantern. The dog had to fight the fire with
his paws, and by the time he had extinguished it they were much singed.
His loud barking was sufficient to warn the family that something
unusual was taking place. They soon responded to his call, and found
that he had the fire quite under control. He had thus saved his master's
barn and house from the flames, and since that time, as I have witnessed
myself, will not allow any one to light a cigar with a match in his
presence. The peculiar sound which he makes under such circumstances
appeals to the sense of fear or apprehension, and I have observed that
the significance of all speech depends much upon intonation. It is less
so with man, perhaps, than with other