generally turn round and round and scratch the ground with their
fore-paws in a senseless manner, as if they intended to trample down
the grass and scoop out a hollow, as no doubt their wild parents did,
when they lived on open grassy plains or in the woods. Jackals, fennecs,
and other allied animals in the Zoological Gardens, treat their straw
in this manner; but it is a rather odd circumstance that the keepers,
after observing for some months, have never seen the wolves thus behave.
A semi-idiotic dog--and an animal in this condition would be particularly
liable to follow a senseless habit--was observed by a friend to turn
completely round on a carpet thirteen times before going to sleep.

Many carnivorous animals, as they crawl towards their prey and prepare to rush
or spring on it, lower their heads and crouch, partly, as it would appear,
to hide themselves, and partly to get ready for their rush; and this habit
in an exaggerated form has become hereditary in our pointers and setters.
Now I have noticed scores of times that when two strange dogs meet on
an open road, the one which first sees the other, though at the distance
of one or two hundred yards, after the first glance always lowers its bead,
generally crouches a little, or even lies down; that is, he takes the proper
attitude for concealing himself and {illust. caption = for making a rush
or FIG. 4.--Small dog watching a cat on a spring, although the road table.
From a photograph taken is quite open and The distance Mr. Rejlander.} great.
Again, dogs of all kinds when intently watching and slowly approaching
their prey, frequently keep one of their fore-legs doubled up for a long time,
ready for the next cautious step; and this is eminently characteristic
of the pointer. But from habit they behave in exactly the same manner
whenever their attention is aroused (fig. 4). I have seen a dog at the foot
of a high wall, listening attentively to a sound on the opposite side,
with one leg doubled up; and in this case there could have been no intention
of making a cautious approach.