HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



261 



weigh until mid- day, and not into camp until night. 

 On another occasion, in crossing the Chang-Cheumo 

 river, we had a little adventure with the yaks. The 

 river, as is usual at this time of the year, was greatly 

 swollen by the melting snows, and running at an 

 enormous pace. My valet-boy (Behrer) was riding 

 one of the yaks when they were driven into the river. 

 Very soon they got out of their depth, and began to 

 swim, being partly carried down by the current. 

 The boy slipped off behind, and drifted down the 

 stream. Luckily I was on my pony, and galloping 

 down below, I pushed into the river and caught him as 

 he passed. My pony, however, got out of his depth 

 too, and I slipped off, fortunately managing to pull 

 the boy to shore. We both had a narrow escape. 

 We subsequently managed to cross the river with 

 some difficulty, by means of a rope, lower down." 



Sun-Cracks. — While on an excursion of the 

 Belfast Naturalists' Field Club recently, I observed a 

 striking illustration of how the cracks found in the 

 new red sandstone were formed. This was in one 

 of the Scrabo quarries near Newtownards, co. Down, 

 where we observed some clay, no doubt formed of the 

 debris of the sandstone, cracked by the sun, and lying 

 beside a large slab of sandstone beautifully marked in 

 exactly the same manner. The way in which the cracks 

 in both were formed strongly corroborate the general 

 supposition as to their formation. — J. M. Ward. 



Localities for Fossil Star-fish. — Many years 

 ago I had the good fortune to obtain the rare and 

 elegant star- fish Protaster Salter i (Forbes), as well as 

 a species of Palreaster, which I cannot find figured. 

 They, with an arm of Glyptocrimis basalis (McCoy), 

 were found near together on the eastern side of Bala 

 Lake, about a mile from Llangower, the locality being 

 easily determined by the oval patch of Bala limestone 

 which is marked on the geological map ; the exact 

 spot is shown by the arrow marking the dip at 30 . 

 Mr. Salter found his specimen of P. Salieri at Pen-y- 

 Gaer, near Cerrig-y-Druidion, eight miles north of 

 Bala ; I believe one surface only was obtained having 

 two rays perfect. I was more fortunate, inasmuch as 

 in mine both surfaces are quite perfect ; it is some- 

 what smaller than the figure in Memoirs of the Geo- 

 logical Survey — Geology of North Wales, plate 23. 

 Have any other examples of this beautiful little fossil 

 been procured ? — Charles Ricketts, 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



Intelligence in Man and Animals. — In the 

 interesting notes in your journal for September on the 

 above subject, I am glad to see that two of your 

 correspondents have suggested distinct definitions of 

 ' ' instinct " and ' ' reason." For until the exact subject 

 of discussion is defined, the discussion itself must be 

 more or less confused and cross-purposed. Both Dr. 

 Keegan and C. B. agree in the main idea of their 

 respective definitions ; and no doubt most would accept 

 the same distinction, viz. that in instinct there is 



unconscious adaptation of means to ends, one direct 

 inference through association of ideas ; whilst in reason 

 there is conscious and voluntary adaptation, and often 

 a chain of inference in logical connection and order. 

 But still, supposing some such definition to be 

 accepted generally, it appears to me doubtful whether 

 the main question is settled thereby. A clear field is 

 gained ; but discussion, it seems to me, is still 

 possible. For instance, on one point in Dr. Keegan's 

 note. He says about animals, "their method of 

 working without a trace of hesitation, &c. . . . 

 the identity of motive in almost every case, all 

 unequivocally suggest the idea of an automaton 

 mechanically operating." Now, if the former part of 

 this sentence be admitted as certain, then, of course, 

 the conclusion is correct and strong. But what if the 

 premisses here assumed be open to challenge or 

 doubt ? Is not the argument here robbed of its whole 

 force ? And I certainly think that two of these 

 assumptions are precarious at least: — the "working 

 without a trace of hesitation" and the "identity of 

 motive." Take the case of the dog, an animal 

 admittedly the most " reasonable" or gifted with the 

 highest instinct. Who has not over and over again 

 observed hesitation in his conduct, especially in cir- 

 cumstances where a choice of actions had to be made. 

 To all appearance the animal was considering 

 balancing the two sides of the question, and at last — 

 perhaps after some little time — choosing his course. 

 Did he not then voluntarily decide on one of two 

 purposes ? or on one of two means to accomplish a 

 purpose? There was first hesitation, then choice: 

 two things, not generally attributed to any except 

 "reasonable" beings. Again as to "identity of 

 motive." No doubt in most cases a dog, like other 

 animals (like his master, too often), is actuated by 

 purely selfish motives. But are there not reliable 

 instances recorded where a dog has shown clear self- 

 denial and even self -sacrifice, qualities, by the way, 

 hardly instinctive ? Here are two contrary motives, 

 selfish and unselfish : the "identity" is destroyed. 

 Indeed I notice Dr. Keegan writes " identity . . in 

 almost every case," which, though it evades objections, 

 weakens his case. To give his conclusion any practical 

 value and force the identity should be in every case. 

 To revert to the definitions for a moment. I cannot 

 subscribe all at once toC. B.'s conclusion that animals 

 are unable to follow out a train of inferences. On the 

 other hand, some actions of dogs seem to me very 

 difficult to account for without supposing some such 

 train to have actually passed (dare I say ?) through 

 their mind. The whole subject is most difficult, but 

 most interesting. I am afraid it will never be 

 absolutely settled until we know much more than we 

 do about the world of mind and spirit. — Y. M. 



Intelligence in Man and Animals. — Amongst 

 the many theories given by some of your correspon- 

 dents to account for the remarkable illustrations of 

 intelligence exhibited by many dumb creatures, I 

 fail to see one which will cover the entire ground. 

 It must not be forgotten that there is no medium 

 between matter and spirit. If the brain can secrete 

 thought, as the liver secretes bile, then there is an 

 end of all argument concerning the soul. But if not, 

 we must allow that brutes have souls just as humans. 

 The question of the soul's existence after death 

 must be left to the theologian. 1 For myself, I do not, 

 acknowledge anything like instinct. " The here- 

 ditary transmission of acquired aptitudes " is a 

 scientific fact. The knowledge an animal possesses 

 when born is added to considerably as it grows older. 

 If the knowledge instinctive is all an animal has, how 

 must we explain its education ? If an animal cannot 



