MENTAL POWERS. 101 



dog frames a general concept of cats or sheep, and knows 

 tlie corresponding words as well as a philosopher. And the 

 capacity to understand is as good a proof of vocal intelli- 

 gence, though in an inferior degree, as the capacity to 

 speak." 



Why the organs now used for speech should have been 

 originally perfected for this purpose, rather than any other 

 organs, it is not difficult to see. Ants have considerable 

 powers of intercommunication, by means of their antennae, 

 as shown by Huber, who devotes a whole chapter to their 

 language. We might have used our fingers as efficient in- 

 struments, for a person with practice can report to a deaf man 

 every word of a speech rapidly delivered at a public meeting; 

 but the loss of our hands while thus employed would have 

 been a serious inconvenience. As all the higher mammals 

 possess vocal organs, constructed on the same general plan as 

 ours, and used as a means of communication, it was ob- 

 viously probable that these same organs would be still further 

 developed if the power of communication hadtobe improved; 

 and this has been effected by the aid of adjoining and well 

 adapted parts, namely, the tongue and lips.* The fact of 

 the higher apes not using their vocal organs for speech, no 

 doubt depends on their intelligence not having been suffi- 

 ciently advanced. The possession by them of organs, which 

 with long-continued practice might have been used for 

 speech, although not thus used, is paralleled by the case of 

 many birds which possess organs fitted for singing, though 

 they never sing. Thus, the nightingale and crow have 

 vocal organs similarly constructed, these being used by the 

 former for divei*sified song, and by the latter only for croak- 

 ing, f If it be asked why apes have not had their intellects 

 developed to the same degree as that of man, general causes 

 only can be assigned in answer, and it is unreasonable to 

 expect anything more definite, considering our. ignorance 



*See some good remarks to this effect by Dr. Maudsley, "The 

 Physiology and Pathology of Mind," 1868, p. 199. 



t Macgillivray, "Hist, of British Birds," vol. ii, 1839, p. 29. An 

 excellent observer, Mr. Blackwall, remarks that the magpie learns to 

 pronounce single words, and even short sentences, more readily than 

 almost any other British bird; yet, as he adds, after long and closely 

 investigating its habits, he has never known it, in a state of nature, 

 displav anv unusual capacity for imitation. " Researches in Zool- 

 ogy," 1834, p. 158. 



