characteristics or habits are such as to render them important or
interesting to man. Probably on the same principle the personal
relative _who_ is used not infrequently in literature, referring to
animals.

Witness the following examples:--

And you, warm little housekeeper [the cricket], _who_ class With
those who think the candles come too soon.--LEIGH HUNT.

The robins...have succeeded in driving off the bluejays _who_
used to build in our pines.--LOWELL.

The little gorilla, _whose_ wound I had dressed, flung its arms
around my neck.--THACKERAY.

A lake frequented by every fowl _whom_ Nature has taught to dip
the wing in water.--DR. JOHNSON.

While we had such plenty of domestic insects _who_ infinitely
excelled the former, because they understood how to weave as well
as to spin.--SWIFT.

My horse, _who_, under his former rider had hunted the buffalo,
seemed as much excited as myself.--IRVING.

Other examples might be quoted from Burke, Kingsley, Smollett, Scott,
Cooper, Gibbon, and others.

[Sidenote: Which.]