SEXUAL SELECTIOX— NESTING OF BIRDS. 235 



j)laincd in other ways, I do not for one moment 

 doubt the potency of Inherited Habit in explaining 

 many simj)]e functions of an organism, such as a 

 new-born infant sucking at the breast, a young 

 IDuck taking to the water as soon as it is hatched, 

 8cC.; but when wc come to such a compHcated [pro- 

 ceeding as nest-buil(Hng, a matter which requires 

 much thought, instruction, and some experience, 

 then I say Inherited Habit is carried too far. 



Since writing my Essay on the Philosophy of 

 Birds' Nests and Eggs, a very interesting instance 

 has come under my notice, which seems absolutely 

 to prove that blind instinct, or, to termi it by its 

 scientific equivalent. Inherited Habit, plays but a 

 minor part in the art of nest-building. I recorded 

 the instance in Nature (vol. xxxi., April 9, 1885) 

 as follows: — "A remarkable instance, however, or 

 a changed mode of nest-building has just been 

 brought to my notice by Mr. W. Burton, the well- 

 known naturalist of Wardour Street. Some tmic 

 ago his brother (now employed at the Museum i.t 

 Wellington, N. Z.) took out to New Zealand a 

 number of young birds of our common native 

 species, with the object of introducing them to 

 tlie Antij)odes. Amongst them were some young 

 Chaffinches [Fr'nigilla crr'/c7".v). These were turned 



