I like the Little Fuzzy discussion of sapience as distinct from animal intelligence:
Not just "using tools" or even "making tools" but "making tools to make tools with" like saws.
http://www.turtlereader.com/authors/...-day-15-of-86/
Mallin described difference between conscious and unconscious thought pretty well later in the trial:
http://www.turtlereader.com/authors/...-day-71-of-86/
http://www.turtlereader.com/authors/...-day-72-of-86/
and Ybarra provided a summary of sapience in general:
http://www.turtlereader.com/authors/...-day-74-of-86/
http://www.turtlereader.com/authors/...-day-75-of-86/
The ability to symbolise (as opposed to just signalling), generalise, think abstractly, associate, and so on.