14 DECEMBER 1895, Page 15

DOG-STORIES.

[TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]

Silt,—May I add my testimony to the intelligence of dogs in the matter of understanding what is said in their hearing ? Several years ago I had a beloved mongrel fox-terrier named `Joe.' We were staying some months at Penzance, and the dog went everywhere with us, and knew the place well. One day we were as usual in the afternoon on the club tennis- ground, when the Secretary came up and warned me that on the following day, as there was to be a tournament, no dogs would be admitted to the inclosure. I promised to shut 'Joe ' up at home. That evening we missed the dog, and in the morning also he was not to be seen. When we went to look on at the tournament in the afternoon we found 'Joe' waiting for us; the ground-man told us that the dog had been there all night, and would not allow himself to caught. He had never slept out before, and he certainly must have understood what was said. We often used to say, " We will drive to such a place to-day, but Joe' must stay at home," and almost invariably, in whatever direction it might be, before we had driven a. mile, we found ' Joe' waiting for us by the roadside ; he always grinned when we came up with him.—