The sense of these animals is, indeed, perfectly wonderful. A
lieutenant in the navy informed me, that while his ship was under sail
in the Mediterranean, a favourite canary bird escaped from its cage,
and flew into the sea. A Newfoundland dog on board witnessed the
circumstance, immediately jumped into the sea, and swam to the bird,
which he seized in his mouth, and then swam back with it to the ship.
On arriving on board and opening the dog's mouth, it was found that
the bird was perfectly uninjured, so tenderly had it been treated, as
though the dog had been aware that the slightest pressure would have
destroyed it.

Mr. Youatt, whose remarks on the usefulness and good qualities of the
inferior animals, in his work on Humanity to Brutes, do him so much
credit, gives the following anecdote as a proof of the reasoning power
of a Newfoundland dog.

Wanting one day to go through a tall iron gate, from one part of his
premises to another, he found a lame puppy lying just within it, so
that he could not get in without rolling the poor animal over, and
perhaps injuring it. Mr. Youatt stood for awhile hesitating what to
do, and at length determined to go round through another gate. A fine
Newfoundland dog, however, who had been waiting patiently for his
wonted caresses, and perhaps wondering why his master did not get in
as usual, looked accidentally down at his lame companion. He
comprehended the whole business in a moment--put down his great paw,
and as gently and quickly as possible rolled the invalid out of the
way, and then drew himself back in order to leave room for the opening
of the gate.

We may be inclined to deny reasoning faculties to dogs; but if this
was not reason, it may be difficult to define what else it could be.

Mr. Youatt also says, that his own experience furnishes him with an
instance of the memory and gratitude of a Newfoundland dog, who was
greatly attached to him. He says, as it became inconvenient to him to
keep the dog, he gave him to one who he knew would treat him kindly.
Four years passed, and he had not seen him; when one day, as he was
walking towards Kingston, and had arrived at the brow of the hill
where Jerry Abershaw's gibbet then stood, he met Carlo and his master.
The dog recollected Mr. Youatt in a moment, and they made much of each
other. His master, after a little chat, proceeded towards Wandsworth,
and Carlo, as in duty bound, followed him. Mr. Youatt had not,
however, got h