INSTINCT OF SOME SUPERIOR ANIMALS. 197 



no doubt, produces migratory impulses, a fact 

 which some of you fishermen are acquainted 

 with. 



Some few years ago, immense cloud -like 

 swarrns of dragon-flies passed in rapid succession 

 over a town in Germany. Their progress was 

 from south-by-west to north-by-east, some flying 

 high and others low, and they struck against 

 the windows of houses situated on eminences. 

 We are not visited in this country by locusts, 

 which commit such vast injuries on crops in the 

 East When the migratory impulse is on them, 

 they swarm in vast numbers, taking long flights, 

 and sometimes alighting in the sea and perishing. 



Some animals change their quarters (it may 

 be called migration) for unaccountable reasons. 

 For instance, the badger, which is a solitary 

 animal, and once very numerous in this country, 

 would assemble to the number of nine or ten, 

 and travel by night to some other locality. If 

 any one happened to disturb them in their pro- 

 gress, he was attacked with the greatest ferocity, 

 although when single they are perfectly harmless. 

 Rats and mice are also known to migrate ; but 

 always by night. Speaking of rats, I may tell 

 you that a gentleman in Hertfordshire laid up 



