i8qi-9 2 -] An Observation on Mind in Molluscs. 41 



organ is to enable the organism to respond to external in- 

 fluences. Here in the mollusca we have mental powers far 

 above simple sensation and reaction. 



There is a curious story given in Darwin's ' Descent of 

 Man ' of a pair of snails, and from it Mr Darwin says : 

 " These animals appear susceptible of some degree of perman- 

 ent attachment : an accurate observer, Mr Lonsdale, informs 

 me that he placed a pair of land snails (Helix pomatia), one 

 of which was weakly, into a small and ill-provided garden. 

 After a short time the strong and healthy individual dis- 

 appeared, and was traced by its track of slime over a wall 

 into an adjoining well-stocked garden. Mr Lonsdale concluded 

 that it had deserted its sickly mate, but after an absence of 

 twenty-four hours it returned, and apparently communicated 

 the result of its successful exploration, for both then started 

 along the same track and disappeared over the wall." — 

 (P. 263.) 



Notwithstanding the ponderous authority of the author of 

 the ' Origin of Species,' who seems inclined to accept so very 

 human and socially highly developed explanation for the very 

 simple observations, I would suggest another much less an- 

 thropomorphic. The strong snail smelt something nice on the 

 other side of the wall ; he went over and partook of it. That 

 clone, he went back to his visual quarters, according to habit. 

 The poor snail left at home smelt an odour of good food about 

 her companion, and next time following the scent, went with 

 him. 



In speaking of the mental operations of animals very dif- 

 ferent from man in bodily organisation, we should be ex- 

 tremely careful not to fall into what has been called " in- 

 verted anthropomorphism," and to use of animal intelligence 

 expressions which apply properly only to our own intellect, 

 and feelings, and will. There is probably a psychological 

 continuity running through organic nature, just as there is a 

 morphological continuity. 



" Nothing in the world is single ; 

 All things, by a law divine, in one another's being mingle." 



Some of us may think, with Clifford, that every moving- 

 molecule, every vortex ring, it may be, possesses a small piece 



