their general confinement, prevents their improvement, which might probably
be otherwise greater than that of dogs.

Instances of the sagacity and knowledge of animals are very numerous to
every observer, and their docility in learning various arts from mankind,
evinces that they may learn similar arts from their own species, and thus
be possessed of much acquired and traditional knowledge.

A dog whose natural prey is sheep, is taught by mankind, not only to leave
them unmolested, but to guard them; and to hunt, to set, or to destroy
other kinds of animals, as birds, or vermin; and in some countries to catch
fish, in others to find truffles, and to practise a great variety of
tricks; is it more surprising that the crows should teach each other, that
the hawk can catch less birds, by the superior swiftness of his wing, and
if two of them follow him, till he succeeds in his design, that they can by
force share a part of the capture? This I have formerly observed with
attention and astonishment.

There is one kind of pelican mentioned by Mr. Osbeck, one of Linnæus's
travelling pupils (the pelicanus aquilus), whose food is fish; and which it
takes from other birds, because it is not formed to catch them itself;
hence it is called by the English a Man-of-war-bird, Voyage to China, p.
88. There are many other interesting anecdotes of the pelican and
cormorant, collected from authors of the best authority, in a well-managed
Natural History for Children, published by Mr. Galton. Johnson. London.

And the following narration from the very accurate Mons. Adanson, in his
Voyage to Senegal, may gain credit with the reader: as his employment in
this country was solely to make observations in natural history. On the
river Niger, in his road to the island Griel, he saw a great number of