174 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

“There was nobody within sight, and the horse by his
manceuvre instanily discovered the profession of his former
owner. Instead of pursuing his journey he laid his counter
close up to the chaise and stopped it, having no doubt but his
rider would embrace so fair an opportunity of exercising his
profession. The clergyman seemed of the same opinion,
produced his purse unasked, and assured the astonished
lawyer, that it was quite unnecessary to draw his pistol as he
did not intend to offer any resistance. The traveller rallied
his horse, and with many apologies to the gentleman he had
so innocently and unwillingly affrighted, pursued his journey.
The horse next made the same suspicious approuch to a
coach, from the windows of which a blunderbuss was levelled
with denunciations of death and destruction to the hapless
and perplexed rider. In short, after his life had been once
or twice endangered by the suspicions to which the conduct
of his horse gave rise, and his liberty as often threatened by
the peace-officers, who were disposed to apprehend him as
a notorious highwayman, the former owner of the horse, he
was obliged to part with the inauspicious animal for a trifle,
and to purchase at a large price one less beautiful, but not
accustomed to such dangerous habits.”

The Horses Of the larger quadrupeds the horse is said to
Intelligence. he only second in intelligence to the Elephant,
and many proofs could be given of the high standard of
intelligence to which he sometimes attains. The Rev. F.O.
Morris says,—“ We knew a blind coach-horse that ran one
of the stages on the great north road for several years, and
so perfectly was he acquainted with all the stables, halting-
places, and other matters, that he was never found to commit
a blunder. He could never be driven past his own stable;
and at the sound of the coming coach he would turn out, of
his own accord, into the stable-yard. So accurate was his
knowledge of time, that though half-a-dozen coaches halted
at the same inn daily, he was never known to stir till the