254 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



what extent they resemble and differ in their psychic 

 and physical development. 



The resemblances are more readily apparent from 

 the perusal of records than the differences, as many 

 of the latter are of a kind readily enough recognised 

 by an experienced observer, but not easily repre- 

 sented by verbal descriptions. 



Special pains were taken to ascertain whether the 

 sense of support, as I have called the quality, is present 

 in birds as in mammals. 



From the records it will be seen that it is well 

 marked. 



The young bird, placed on a perch, feels about, as 

 it were, with its beak for some solid object, and not 

 finding it, remains where it is, but if it touches anything 

 resisting, it begins to move towards it. 



The lower an animal in the scale, the more difficult 

 it seems to be to establish the presence or absence 

 of taste and smell at an early period, if I may judge 

 from those of our domestic animals examined by me. 



I am unable to speak with certainty as to whether 

 pigeons within the first two or three days possess 

 these senses or not, but that later they do, I have 

 abundant evidence. 



Tactile sensibility, and the ability to feel pain, are 

 present just after hatching, as my records show that 

 even a breath of air gently blown on the young 

 pigeon causes it to move. 



Additional evidence is furnished by the fact that a 

 gentle stroking tends to quiet the bird. 



They are highly sensitive to warmth and cold. One 

 can quiet the most disturbed and pugnacious young 

 one by gently holding the warm hand, a warm cloth, 

 etc., over it. 



A single cold day is liable to kill young pigeons if 

 their parents do not sit over them constantly, and some- 



