134 THE PSYCHICAL KINSHIP 



thing aquatic exists also in the camel. Quails kept 

 v in captivity, I am told, persist in scratching at 

 the pan when they are feeding, just as they would 

 need to do, and were accustomed to do, among the 

 leaves and grasses of the groves. The restlessness 

 of cage-birds and domestic fowls at migrating 

 time, the mimic dipping and sporting of ducks 

 when confined to a terrestrial habitat, the grave 

 marshalling of geese by the chief gander of the 

 band, the ferocity of cows, ewes, and the females 

 of other domestic animals during the first few 

 days of motherhood, the hunting instinct of dogs 

 kept as shepherds and pets, the squatting of 

 young pigs when suddenly alarmed all of these 

 are vestigial instincts, functional in the wild state, 

 but now useless and absurd. 



The silent letters and superannuated words and 

 phrases found everywhere in literature are the 

 vestigial parts of language. Every silent letter 

 was originally sounded, and every obsolete word 

 was at one time used. In the French word, temps, 

 for instance, which means 'time,' neither the p 

 nor the s is sounded. But in the Latin word 

 tempus, from which the French word is derived, 

 all of the letters are sounded. 



Man has been defined as a creature of habit. 

 As he has done a thing once, or as his ancestors 

 have done a thing, so he does it again. By 

 precept and example he transmits to each new 

 generation the customs, beliefs, and points of 

 view which he has invented. Social changes take 

 place with extreme moderation. The drowsy ages 



