1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 209 



A very interesting feature was an exhibit, by Mr. Ernest 

 LeSueur, of living turtles (some of which were exotic), sala- 

 manders and tree-toads. There were four of the last mentioned, 

 and two of them (probably females) took on, early in the evening, 

 the green colour of the electric-light shade. 



Mr. Halkett showed a number of specimens of various fishes 

 preserved in museum jars. A. H. 



INSTINCT AND EDUCATION. 



An abstract of an Address read before the Ottawa Field 

 Naturalists' Club, Januarv 4th, 1910, by 

 Mr. A. R.Attwood, M.A. 



Foreshadowings of Instinct in its mechanical manifesta- 

 tions are observable in inorganic nature in the phenomena of 

 gravitation, magnetism and crvstallization. The movements and 

 behavior of plants resemble the instinctive actions of animals. 

 Plants are animate objects, i.e. objects with mind. Heredity, a 

 distinctive characteristic of instinct, is also a characteristic of 

 plants Vitality implies mentality. 



Reflex action so closely resembles instinctive action that 

 Herbert Spencer defines instinct as complex reflex action. 

 Instinct is, however, a broader term as it is observable in the 

 lowest of animals, v,'hereas reflex action implies a more or less 

 developed nervous system. 



Instinct is racial memory; it is inherited habit; it is com- 

 plex reflex action; it is capitalized experience. A series: an 

 action, a repeated action, a habit, an inherited habit or an in- 

 stinct, an intuition. Instincts are faculties which are innate, 

 hereditary, semi-automatic and semi-conscious. They attain 

 results without the necessity of previous individual instruction, 

 reason, or experience. 



There are two classes of instincts: primary or congenital 

 instincts, and secondary or acquired instincts. The latter are 

 evolved from the exercise of a rational intelligence. The brain 

 is the organ of reason. The evolution of instincts was promoted 

 by the development of a brain in the animal kingdom. Tlie 

 brain is the school-master in the work of evolving instincts, it is 

 a short-cutting device for the development of the race. 



The progress of the race depends upon the constant accretion 

 of secondarv instincts. The work of education should be to 

 develop desirable habits which shall be tran.smitted as instincts 

 to subsequent generations. We should begin the training of a 

 child manv generations before he is born. 



