ARE ANIMALS MENTALLY HAPPY?
[To Tax Roma or tam "Srscuroa."]
fint,—Reading Mr. Carlill's article on "Are Animals Mentally Happy I" in this month's Nineteenth Century, reminded me of an incident I witnessed in the early summer of 1881 or 1882. Walking one evening in the garden with a friend with whom I 'was staying in Kent, we heard a great noise amongst the sheep • The "quiet Catholics" elee4 then, representatives most unlike themselves. Oar correspondent apparently tMaks that the sanctity of the Eighth Command- ment depends upon popular opinion.—En. Spectator. in the park. Fearing a dog was worrying them, we went to see, and saw the sheep collected against the garden wall, and then start off and race, helter-skelter, as fast as they could, to a tree a little distance away ; round it, and then back again,—each trying which could be foremost. They then collected, and started off again as before. This they repeated twelve or twenty times, whilst we watched them ; until, seeming tired of their play, they straggled off. This appears to me decidedly a mental act of happiness. The sheep were distinctly at play, and enjoying themselves ; whilst the concerted action, instead of merely singly racing about for physical exercise, showed that their minds were as actively engaged as their bodies.
lean send you the name and address of the lady who witnessed this with me, if you wish for corroboration. She will no doubt remember the circumstance, as she was much amused, and said, "We had no need to go to the races [it was the day of the Derby for that year], because we have had races of our own at home."
Previous page
