by jumping on a table, took
down the maid-servant's bonnet, and held it in her month till she
accompanied the animal to the Common.

A friend of mine had a poodle dog, who was not very obedient to his
call when he was taken out to run in the fields. A small whip was
therefore purchased, and the dog one day was chastised with it. The
whip was placed on a table in the hall of the house, and the next
morning it could not be found. It was soon afterwards discovered in
the coal-cellar. The dog was a second time punished with it, and again
the whip was missed. It was afterwards discovered that the dog had
attempted to hide the instrument by which pain had been inflicted on
him. There certainly appears a strong approach to reason in this
proceeding of the dog. _Cause_ and _effect_ seem to have been
associated in his mind, if his mode of proceeding may be called an
effort of it.

In Messrs. Chambers' brochure of amusing anecdotes of dogs we find the
following:--

An aged gentleman has mentioned to us that, about fifty years ago, a
Frenchman brought to London from eighty to a hundred dogs, chiefly
poodles, the remainder spaniels, but all nearly of the same size, and
of the smaller kind. On the education of these animals their
proprietor had bestowed an immense deal of pains. From puppyhood
upwards they had been taught to walk on their hind-legs, and maintain
their footing with surprising ease in that unnatural position. They
had likewise been drilled into the best possible behaviour towards
each other; no snarling, barking, or indecorous conduct took place
when they were assembled in company. But what was most surprising of
all, they were able to perform in various theatrical pieces of the
character of pantomimes, representing various transactions in heroic
and familiar life, with wonderful fidelity. The object of their
proprietor was, of course, to make money by their performances, which
the public were accordingly invited to witness in one of the minor
theatres.

Amongst their histrionic performances was the representation of a
siege. On the rising of the curtain there appeared three ranges of
ramparts, one above the other, having salient angles and a moat, like
a regularly-constructed fortification. In the centre of the fortress
arose a tower, on which a flag was flying; while in the distance
behind appeared the buildings and steeples of a town. The ramparts
were guarded by soldiers in uniform, each armed with a musket