INSTINCT. 



15 



this provision of nature has been fully elucidated 

 by the observations of Reaumur and many 

 others as to the efficacy of artificial heat in 

 procuring the development of the chick. 



5. The instincts of many parent animals are 

 likewise the means adopted by nature for pro- 

 curing nourishment for the young. This is 

 observed as to those of the lower orders whose 

 young are brought forth in circumstances ren- 

 dering it impossible for them to procure their 

 own food (as the bee and wasp), and also as to 

 the carnivorous tribes, both of birds and quad- 

 rupeds ; the exertion requisite for procuring 

 their prey being beyond the power of the young- 

 animal, the instinct of the parent supplies the 

 defect. In most cases fresh supplies of food 

 are daily or even hourly brought to the young 

 animals, but in some instances stores of nou- 

 rishment are provided for the young of the 

 higher animals, equally as for those of the bee 

 or ant; the pelican brings a large supply in 

 his pouch from a single fishing; and according 

 to the observations of an author in the Magazine 

 of Natural History, some of the carnivorous 

 animals have the curious instinct of storing up 

 with this view animals not dead, but stupified 

 by injury of the brain. " I dug out," says he, 

 " five young pole-cats, comfortably imbedded 

 in dry withered grass ; and in a side hole, of 

 proper dimensions for such a larder, I poked 

 out forty large frogs and two toads, all alive, 

 but merely capable of sprawling a little. On 

 examination 1 found that the whole number, 

 toads and all, had been purposely and dex- 

 trously bitten through the brain."* 



Lastly, the young of all warm-blooded 

 animals being unable for some time after they 

 come into the world to maintain their own 

 temperature, would soon perish of cold, even 

 if capable of procuring their own food, 

 but for the protection they receive from their 

 parents. This seems to be the most general 

 final cause of the crrogyjj or maternal affection 

 so strongly implanted in all these animals, and 

 to which so much of the first period of the 

 existence of their offspring is intrusted, but of 

 which there is little trace in the lower tribes. 

 As, however, the dangers to which these young 

 animals are exposed are numerous and varied, 

 so nature has provided against them, not by a 

 propensity to the performance of one kind of 

 action only, but by a vigilant and permanent 

 feeling which controls all the habits of the 

 parent animal, and prompts many actions, some 

 of which are strictly instinctive, while others 

 ought rather to be called voluntary, but are 

 quite at variance with the ordinary habits of 

 the animals. Every one must be aware of the 

 increased ferocity given to the female carnivo- 

 rous animals during the time that they are 

 occupied with the care of their young, and of 

 the resolution with which birds, at other seasons 

 pacific and even timid, will resent any intrusion 

 on their nests or young broods ; of the provi- 

 dent care of the cat or the lioness, which carries 

 her young in her mouth, and of almost all fe- 

 male warm-blooded animals, which gather them 



* Magazine, &c. vol. vi. p. 206. 



close to their bodies for protection from cold ; 

 of the anxiety of the hen which has sat on 

 duck's eggs, when the ducklings take to the 

 water; of the resolution and ingenuity with 

 which the lapwing fixes on herself the attention 

 of passengers who may come near her nest, See. 

 But what most distinctly indicates that all this 

 care and anxiety are unconnected with any such 

 anticipation of the results as would be acquired 

 by a process of reasoning, is the absolute indif- 

 ference which succeeds, when the parent animal 

 at length sees her offspring independent of her 

 assistance 



" And once rejoicing, never knows them more." 



III. Various instinctive propensities may be 

 observed in animals, the object of which is the 

 advantage of the race or of the animal creation 

 generally, rather than of the individual or his 

 progeny, and some the object of which is still 

 obscure. Some of these are, like the maternal 

 affection last mentioned, obviously partaken by 

 the human race, or even chiefly perceptible 

 in those animals which have much con- 

 nexion with man. The instinctive attachments 

 not only of dogs but various domestic animals 

 to their masters or attendants, of cats to houses, 

 of sheep to particular hills or pastures, might 

 be illustrated by many curious anecdotes, and 

 seem to be very similar to the feelings which, 

 after being fully developed in the human race, 

 and strengthened and extended by the reflective 

 powers of the human mind, obtain the names 

 of family affection, of local attachment, of 

 patriotism, &c. If the instinct of modesty 

 exists in hardly any animals, the desire of clean- 

 liness may be observed in many. The instinct 

 of imitation, formerly noticed, and which is of 

 so essential importance to all human enterprises 

 in which the cooperation of numbers is re- 

 quired, is perhaps more distinctly observable 

 in individual monkeys than in any other ani- 

 mals, although it is probable that a similar 

 feeling may be part of the bond of association 

 by which many animals are congregated toge- 

 ther in the mode to be presently noticed. The 

 intuitive perception of the signs of emotion 

 or passion in the countenance and gestures 

 which precedes and excites the tendency to 

 imitation in man, is obviously common to us 

 with many other animals. 



In fact, although we rigidly maintain the 

 essential superiority of the intellect of man 

 over that of all other animals, we have already 

 stated that the greater number of the active 

 powers of the human mind which furnish the 

 chief motives to action are on the same footing 

 with those which operate on the lower animals. 

 Not only are our appetites similar to theirs, 

 but the greater number of the desires of which 

 we are conscious are either shared with us by 

 them, or at least would seem to belong to the 

 same class as their instincts. Thus the desire of 

 approbation is quite obvious at least in some 

 of the domestic animals, and the desire of 

 society, as observed by Stewart, seems to act 

 very generally, although variously, in the ani- 

 mal creation. The desire of power may be 

 thought to be more peculiar to man, and we 



