THE GENIUS OF SCIENCE 



When we examine the little animals in a droplet of water, the 

 first thing which strikes us is their movement. But is the 

 movement merely a chance transference hither and thither into 

 new places where perhaps the food elements have not already 

 been exhausted ; or is it a purposeful search ? The latter im- 

 plies, even in these minute creatures, the first element of mind — 

 the mind of amoebae and of infusoria. The aimless transference 

 requires no consciousness of direction ; but the first property 

 of mind should be that its possessor can remember directions 

 which prove on trial to be rich or deficient in nutritive elements ; 

 can store its past impressions ; and can select the directions 

 which give good results. Even among these little bodies there 

 is often some evidence of purposeful movement — the creature 

 stops, turns or accelerates its speed, or, when it is interrupted 

 by some great mass of vegetable fibre or other detritus, still 

 attempts to persist in its former course. It seems to be con- 

 sciously searching its food — to be rejecting profitless directions 

 and following profitable ones. Higher in the animal scale, we 

 find the ants and bees travelling abroad in the most obviously 

 conscious seekings for food ; and indeed, animals in general 

 seem to exist upon the principle given by the proverbial injunc- 

 tion " If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." 



On watching their movements, however, we are impressed by 

 the fact that the intelligence seems to be very elementary. 

 Thus, as the American humorist remarks, the busy ant, instead 

 of having the wisdom to walk round a stalk of grass, will take 

 the trouble of ascending it to its top and running down the 

 other side. Similarly the wasp, led by the scent of sugar, will 

 enter a window, but does not possess the good sense to find its 

 way out again at the same opening. The neglected subject of 

 comparative psychology gives us many other instances. To 

 attach a dog to a post, it is sufficient to tie the rope with any 

 knot — and the animal never has the wit to undo the knot with 

 his teeth. So also with horses, and even with monkeys and 

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