\\}'2 Phillips, I L\prii 



But though the nature of instinct is so far beyond us, the direc- 

 tion of its efforts can be studied, and as far as the writer can see 

 tlu\\ are held by students of animal behavior to be of a purposeful 

 and adaptive nature; it" not for their present needs, then possibly 

 through persistence they may show a glimpse oi what was their 

 past necessity or specialisation. Comparing instinct with intuition 

 Bergson says again: "Without intelligence, it (intuition) would 

 have remained in the form of instinct, riveted to the special form 

 of it- ;/ interest and turned outward by it into movements 



oi locomotion." ' (Italics mine 



Holmes says: "Salmon begin their up-stream migration, the 

 male frog develops his tendency to clasp the female, birds herald 

 the advent of the breeding season with courtship and song, and the 

 males oi many mammals show at this season an unusual degree 

 oi belligerency, due change in instinctive behavior during the 

 breeding season ma\ he due to the production oi internal secretions 

 which influence the irritability of certain parts oi the nervous 



system, hut however eaused. it is. like the varying responses to 

 food, water, ote. :•; " s - - reient to tke needs of the specia 

 vltalies mine.) 



In the same vein we might quote from Lloyd Morgan who in 

 contrasting reflex with instinctive actions, says oi the latter: 

 "Instinctive activities are those organised trains or sequences of 

 co-ordinated activities which are performed by the individual in 

 common with all members of the same more or less restricted group, 

 in adaptatioi .•.» circuit:.- s, oft-recurring or essential to 



tke continuance of the spe* - Italics mine.) 



Whether we regard migration as the operation of a pure instinct, 

 or complicate it with reflex action brought about by various tro- 

 picus, ami even influenced h\ a certain element of choice (intelli- 

 gence), we must admit, I think, that its foundation is adaptive and 

 useful. It is true that it is often difficult to see why bird migration 

 has been so persistently carried on. especially in eases where part 

 oi the individuals oi a spoeies are local in their habits and p 

 are migraton . for no reason that • - ssity, but this is \ 



- 

 » Holmes, rhe Kxolutiou of taint*! tnteUtgi 

 5 l M \ ••.;»! l iiv utd Intelligence. 





