The Scottish Naturalist. 245 



this subject in current publications. But they have been, for 

 the most part, of so worthless a nature that I should not care 

 to bring them under your notice. Certain writers are just as 

 ready to credit animals with mental powers, which they do not 

 possess, as others are to deny them all such faculties whatever. 

 And both classes have 110 regard for the value of their Facts. 

 I believe that there are human minds totally incapable of appre- 

 ciating the evidence of the existence of mental faculties in 

 animals. The want of sympathy between some human beings (and 

 animals) is very marked. Such human beings I find also deficient 

 in sympathy with their own kind. . . . My time is terribly 

 occupied ; but I will endeavour to give you any help by way 

 of illustration that I can, if you wish it. Mr. Darwin has done 

 me the honour to accept some Notes of mine on the habits of 

 certain Australian species for future use. And I could give 

 you some results of observation, if I could find time to put 

 them into form." 



In the preface to his series of Papers — Do animals think ? — 

 Mr. Nicols professes to record only " Facts drawn exclusively 



from personal 'observation in Australia I pretend" (he says) 



" to give nothing but bare facts within my own knowledge, and 



have set them in the plainest language I can find Eveiyone 



of the cases, of what I believe to be simple thought in animals, 

 .... has been observed by myself. And I can only guarantee that 

 each will be carefully stated from Notes made at the time." 



In other words, Mr. Nicols has had much experience of 

 Bush life and Bush animals in Australia, and is one of those 

 now numerous Traveller-Naturalists or Naturalist-Travellers, 

 whose observations are of the highest value as Bases for 

 Generalisation. 



The " Animal World " is a monthly illustrated Folio — the 

 organ of, and issued by, " The Royal Society for the Prevention 

 of Cruelty to Animals." It was started in 1869 : is now in its 7th 

 volume, the first having been issued in 1870: has a circulation 

 of at least 26,000 copies per month: costs 2d. per number, or 

 2s. 6d. per annual volume : is the avowed advocate of Humanity 

 to the Lower Animals: and is published by Messrs. Partridge & 

 Co., London, who are also publishers of a whole series of works 

 illustrative of animal sagacity. The " Animal World " is in- 

 tended for readers of all ages and classes and of both sexes. 

 It contains accordingly a judicious mingling of Verse with 

 Prose — of the gay with the serious — of anecdote or story with 



