and to effect this the dog acts in his habitual manner,
as if the biscuit was a live animal or smelt like carrion,
though he knows better than we do that this is not the case.
I have seen this same terrier act in the same manner after
killing a little bird or mouse.


[15] See Mr. F. H. Salvin's account of a tame jackal in `Land
and Water,' October, 1869.

Dogs scratch themselves by a rapid movement of one of their hind-feet;
and when their backs are rubbed with a stick, so strong is the habit,
that they cannot help rapidly scratching the air or the ground
in a useless and ludicrous manner. The terrier just alluded to,
when thus scratched with a stick, will sometimes show her delight
by another habitual movement, namely, by licking the air as if it
were my hand.

Horses scratch themselves by nibbling those parts of their bodies
which they can reach with their teeth; but more commonly one horse shows
another where he wants to be scratched, and they then nibble each other.
A friend whose attention I had called to the subject, observed that
when he rubbed his horse's neck, the animal protruded his head,
uncovered his teeth, and moved his jaws, exactly as if nibbling
another horse's neck, for he could never have nibbled his own neck.
If a horse is much tickled, as when curry-combed, his wish to bite
something becomes so intolerably strong, that he will clatter
his teeth together, and though not vicious, bite his groom.
At the same time from habit he closely depresses his ears,
so as to protect them from being bitten, as if he were fighting