Goats may be taught many tricks heretofore described. It is best to commence their instruction when they are quite young, as when older they are apt to develop an obstinate disposition, besides not being so apt pupils as when young. Goats not being very fastidious as to what they eat—asparagus or brown paper being devoured with about the same apparent relish—almost anything in the shape of fruit, vegetables, or bread, will do as a reward for good conduct. Harshness seems only to arouse their obstinacy or increase their stupidity, and we doubt whether it ever does any good. If we did not really believe severity would only defeat the aims of the trainer, we should almost be tempted to leave goats to take their own chances for kind treatment; for ever since a venerable specimen of the animal butted us, in our youth, down a steep bank, merely because in stooping to pick up something, we furnished a temptation too strong for him to resist, we have felt an unconquerable prejudice against the whole tribe. But after all the trainer will find bribes better than blows.
Many of the common tricks taught horses and dogs can be taught goats. As we have fully described the methods of teaching those animals it would be merely repetition to give minute details here; the method is substantially the same with goats as with horses or dogs, for the same tricks.
The Hindoo jugglers use the goat in dexterous feats of balancing. The sure-footedness of the animal enables him to stand on the end of a section of bamboo cane whose surface barely affords room for his four feet. Sometimes this stick is placed upright, the lower end being secured in the ground. At other times the bamboo stick, with the goat standing on its end, is balanced on the hand, chin or nose of the juggler.
CHAPTER XVI.
EDUCATED HOGS AND THEIR TRAINING.
Hogs are not very intellectual animals, but, fortunately for the trainer, what they lack in intelligence is made up in appetite, and by appealing to their stomachs their education is accomplished. “Learned pigs” and “educated hogs” are more common in England than in this country, though, probably, like the opera, they will in time become an acclimated institution. We had the pleasure of seeing the performance of quite an excellent artist in the pork line, who was traveling through the eastern states under the title of “Wicked Will,” as a side show to a circus.
Will traveled in a cage very similar to those used in menageries, except that it was smaller. This cage at the exhibitions was placed upon a platform with the grated part facing toward the audience. It was rather higher than was necessary to accommodate the hog, the upper part containing a number of compartments about six inches in depth, in which were kept corn, curry-combs, and other toilet articles. The exhibitor lifts the lid which covers these receptacles, takes a few grains of corn in his hand and drops them quietly on the carpet; then he opens a door at one of the small ends of the cage and Will emerges, grunting and sniffing around. The cage door is now shut, and while Will hunts for kernels of corn that have been scattered around, the exhibitor gives a little dose of natural history, hog characteristics, etc.
EDUCATED HOG.
The performance commences by the exhibitor placing ten cards, on which the numerals from one to naught are printed, in regular order across the front of the platform. Then he asks Will a number of questions, such as the number of days in a week, in a month, in a year—it is of no consequence what, so long as the answers can be given in numbers. The hog goes slowly from card to card, with his nose down, commencing at the figure 1. When he comes to the right number he takes it in his mouth and brings it to his master.
“Now,” says the exhibitor, “if any lady or gentleman will tell the hog the year they were born in, he’ll tell them their age.”