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process； subtraction； which is followed by multiplication； division and all
the rest。
At the beginning； the lessons are extremely laborious and demand an
untiring and loving patience； which is the whole secret of the miracle。 But；
as soon as the first barrier of darkness is passed； the progress becomes
bewilderingly rapid。
All this is incontestable； and the facts are there； before which we must
need bow。 But what upsets all our convictions or； more correctly； all the
prejudices which thousands of years have made as invincible as axioms；
what we do not succeed in understanding is that the horse at once
understands what we want of him； it is that first step； the first tremor of an
unexpected intelligence； which suddenly reveals itself as human。 At what
precise second did the light appear and was the veil rent under？ It is
impossible to say； but it is certain that； at a given moment； without any
visible sign to reveal the prodigious inner transformation； the horse acts
and replies as though he suddenly understood the speech of man。 What is
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it that sets the miracle working？ We know that； after a time； the horse
associates certain words with certain objects that interest him or with three
or four events whose infinite repetition forms the humble tissue of his
daily life。 This is only a sort of mechanical memory which has nothing in
common with the most elementary intelligence。 But behold； one fine day；
without any perceptible transition； he seems to know the meaning of a host
of words which possess no interest for him； which represent to him no
picture； no memory； which he has never had occasion to connect with any
sensation； agreeable or disagreeable。 He handles figures； which even to
man are nothing but obscure and abstract ideas。 He solves problems that
cannot possibly be made objective or concrete。 He reproduces letters
which； from his point of view； correspond with nothing actual。 He fixes
his attention and makes observations on things or circumstances which in
no way affect him； which remain and always will remain alien and
indifferent to him。 In a word； he steps out of the narrow ring in which he
was made to turn by hunger and fearwhich have been described as the
two great moving powers of all that is not humanto enter the immense
circle in which sensations go on being shed till ideas come into view。
22
Is it possible to believe that the horses really do what they appear to do？
Is there no precedent for the marvel？ Is there no transition between the
Elberfeld stallions and the horses which we have known until this day？ It
is not easy to answer these questions； for it is only since yesterday that the
intellectual powers of our defenseless brothers have been subjected to
strictly scientific experiments。 We have； it is true more than one collection
of anecdotes in which the intelligence of animals is lauded to the skies； but
we cannot rely upon these ill…authenticated stories。 To find genuine and
incontestable instances we must have recourse to the works； rare as yet； of
scientific men who have made a special study of the subject。 M。 Hachet…
Souplet； for example； the director of the Institut de Psychologie
Zoologique； mentions the case of a dog who learnt to acquire an abstract
idea of weight。 You put in front of him eight rounded and polished stones；
all of exactly the same size and shape； but of different weights。 You tell
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him to fetch the heaviest or the lightest； he judges their weight by lifting
them and； without mistake； picks out the one required。
The same writer also tells the story of a parrot to whom he had taught
the word 〃cupboard〃 by showing him a little box that could be hung up on
the wall at different heights and in which his daily allowance of food was
always ostentatiously put away；
〃I next taught him the names of a number of objects；〃 says M。 Hachet…
Souplet； 〃by holding them out to him。 Among them was a ladder； and I
prevailed upon the bird to say； 'Climb；' each time that he saw me mount
the steps。 One morning； when the parrot's cage was brought into the
laboratory； the cupboard was hanging near the ceiling； while the little
ladder was stowed away in a corner among other objects familiar to the
bird。 Now the parrot； every day； when I opened the cupboard； used to
scream； 'Cupboard！ Cupboard！ Cupboard！' with all his might。 My problem
was； therefore； this： seeing that the cupboard was out of my reach and that；
therefore； I could not take his food out of it； knowing； on the other hand；
that I was able to raise myself above the level of the floor by climbing the
ladder； and having the words 'climb' and 'ladder' at his disposal： would he
employ them to suggest to me the idea of using them in order to reach the
cupboard？ Greatly excited； the parrot flapped his wings； bit the bars of his
cage； and screamed：
〃'Cupboard！ Cupboard！ Cupboard！'〃
〃And I got no more out of him that day。 The next day； the bird； having
received nothing but millet； for which he did not much care； instead of the
hemp…seed contained in the cupboard； was in paroxysms of anger； and；
after he had made numberless attempts to force open his bars； his attention
was at last caught by the ladder and he said：
〃'Ladder； climb； cupboard！'〃
We have here； as the author remarks； a marvellous intellectual effort。
There is an evident association of ideas； cause is linked with effect； and
examples such as this lesson appreciably the distance separating our
learned horses from their less celebrated brethren。 We must admit；
however； that this intellectual effort； if we observe； animals a little
carefully； is much less uncommon than we think。 It surprises us in this
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case because a special and； when all is said； purely mechanical
arrangement of the parrot's organ gives him a human voice。 At every
moment； I find in my own dog associations of ideas no less evident and
ofte