1 24 Instinct. 



It may not be out of place to refer in this con- 

 nection, to the bearing of some of the facts thus far 

 considered on the origin of these powers which an- 

 imals possess, as well as upon the origin of the spe- 

 cies themselves. 



If we adopt the theory of transmitted skill 

 gained through the experience of previous genera- 

 tions, which has much that is plausible in its favor, 

 we are forced to the conclusion that there have 

 been ancestors of our wild animals of very great 

 ingenuity in devising and executing plans, and that 

 these ingenious beings have appeared in great num- 

 bers among the insects ; and we are also troubled 

 to see how the species, in many cases, contiaued 

 upon the earth till these ingenious beings appeared 

 whose wisdom and contrivance, inherited by their 

 descendants, seem now absolutely essential for the 

 continuance of the species from one generation to 

 another — in many cases, for their continuance for a 

 single year. 



If we appeal to Natural Selection, as is now fre- 

 quently done, we have indeed a powerful agency 

 to work with ; but will it do the work we need to 

 have done? Natural Selection, granting all that is 

 claimed by those who invoke its aid for the solution 

 of all problems in regard to the habits and struc- 

 ture that characterize species of animals, — Natural 

 Selection is simply "• the preserving of the fittest ^ It 

 does not give a characteristic to any animal, but sim- 

 ply preserves him through the agency of some charac- 

 teristic which he already possesses. Natural Selec- 

 tion does not give to the animal the power to hi- 



