y a yell from her, forming the most expressive commentary
upon the misperformance.

When extended trials were made of the animal's acquirements, they were
never found to fail, and Poodle became, what she still is, the most
famous, impartial, and conscientious connoisseur in the Duchy of
Hesse. But, as may be imagined, her musical appreciation is entirely
negative; if you sing with expression, and play with ability, she will
remain cold and impassible. But let your execution exhibit the
slightest defect, and you will have her instantly showing her teeth,
whisking her tail, yelping, barking, and growling. At the present
time, there is not a concert or an opera at Darmstadt to which Mr.
S---- and his wonderful dog are not invited; or, at least, _the dog_.
The voice of the prima donna, the instruments of the band--whether
violin, clarionet, hautbois, or bugle--all of them must execute their
parts in perfect harmony, otherwise Poodle looks at its master, erects
its ears, shows its grinders, and howls outright. Old or new pieces,
known or unknown to the dog, produce on it the same effect.

It must not be supposed that the discrimination of the creature is
confined to the mere _execution_ of musical compositions. Whatever may
have been the case at the outset of its training, its present and
perfected intelligence extends even to the secrets of composition.
Thus, if a vicious modulation, or a false relation of parts, occur in
a piece of music, the animal shows symptoms of uneasy hesitation; and
if the error be continued, will infallibly give the grand condemnatory
howl. In short, Poodle is the terror of all the middling composers of
Darmstadt, and a perfect nightmare to the imagination of all poor
singers and players. Sometimes Mr. S---- and his friends take a
pleasure in annoying the canine critic, by emitting all sorts of
discordant sounds from instrument and voice. On such occasions the
creature loses all self-command, its eyes shoot forth fiery flashes,
and long and frightful howls respond to the immelodious concert of the
mischievous bipeds. But the latter must be careful not to go too far;
for when the dog's patience is tried to excess, it becomes altogether
wild, and flies fiercely at the tormentors and their instruments.

This dog's case is a very curious one, and the attendant phenomena not
very easy of explanation. From the animal's power of discerning the
correctness of musical composition, as well as of execution,