362 :\IEXTAL EVOLUTION IX ANIMALS. 



ferecl during the last one or two centuries, that they have not 

 become wilder; it shows that the fear of man is not soon 

 acquired. 



In old inhabited countries, where the animals have 

 acquired much general and instinctive suspicion and fear, 

 they seem very soon to learn from each other, and perhaps 

 even from other species, caution directed towards any par- 

 ticular object. It is notorious that rats and mice cannot long 

 1)0 caught by the same sort of trap,* however tempting the 

 bait may be ; yet, as it is rare that one which has actually 

 been caught escapes, the others must have learnt the danger 

 from seeing their companions suffer. Even the most terrific 

 object, if never causing danger, and if not instindivehj 

 dreaded, is immediately viewed with indifference, as we see in 

 our railway trains. What bird is so difficult to approach as 

 the heron, and how many generations would it not require to 

 make herons fearless of man ? Yet Mr. Thompson saysf that 

 these birds, after a few days' experience, would fearlessly 

 allow a train to pass within half gun-shot distance.^ Although 

 it cannot be douljted that the fear of man in old inhabited 

 countries is partly ac(tuired, yet it also certainly is instinc- 

 tive ; for nesting birds are generally terrified at the first sight 

 of man, and certainly far more so than most of the old birds 

 at the Falklands and Galapagos Archipelago after years of 

 persecution. 



We have in Enoiand excellent evidence of the fear of 



o 



man being acquired and inherited in proportion to the danger 

 incurred ; for, as was long ago remarked by the Hon. Daines 

 Harrington, § all our large birds, young and old, are extremely 

 wild. Yet there can be no relation between size and fear ; 



* E. P. Tliompson, Passions of Animals, p. 29. 



t Nat. Hist, of Ireland, " Birds," toI. ii, p. 133. 



X [I may here refer to tlie corroboration wliieli tliis statement has 

 recently received in a correspondence between Dr. Eae and Mr. Goodsir 

 [Xature, July 3rd, 12th, and 19th, 1883). The former says that the wild 

 duck, teal, &c., Avhich frequent certain districts through which the Pacific 

 Kailway has been carried in Canada, became quite fearless of the trains the 

 first few days after traffic was opened, and the latter gives similar testimony 

 (•oncerning \he wild fowl of Australia, adding, " The constant roar of a 

 great passing traffic, as well as the imceasing turmoil and unearthly noises of 

 ii large railway station within a stone's throw of their haunts, is now quite 

 unnoticed by these usually most watchfid and wary of all birds, [i.e., wild 

 ducks.] But for fear of trespassing on your space, I could give many more 

 illustrations of the truth of Dr. Kae's remarks." — Gr. J. R.] 



§ Phil. Trans., 1773, p. 264. 



