REASON. 329 



proportional development in them ; and this ■whether we 

 consider their position in the zoological scale, or the general 

 structure of their psychology as compared with that of other 

 animals — so that if the whole structure of their psychology 

 were correspondingly advanced, these insects would deserve 

 to be placed on a psychological level with Birds, if not with 

 some of the more intelligent of the Mammalia. But looking 

 to their psychology as a whole, I think that its status may 

 most fairly be assigned to the level on which I have placed it 

 in the diagram. However, I do not conceal that the peculiar 

 nature of ant and bee intelligence makes it most difficult to 

 compare with the intelligence of higher animals. 



Another special difficulty with reference to reason in 

 animals meets us in the case of the Beaver. For, as remarked 

 in "Animal Intelligence," "on the one hand it seems in- 

 credible that the beaver should attain to such a level of 

 abstract thought as would be implied by his forming his 

 various structures with the calculated purpose of achieving 

 the ends which they undoubtedly subserve. On the other 

 hand, as we have seen, it seems little less than impossible 

 that the formation of these structures can be due to instinct." 

 The structures specially alluded to in this connection were 

 the beaver canals, and my information concerning them was 

 derived exclusively from the work of the late Mr. Lewis H. 

 Morgan. Since the publication of " Animal Intelligence," 

 however, I am informed from private sources that the intelli- 

 gence of the beaver has been greatly over-estimated. My 

 correspondents have undoubtedly seen much of the habits of 

 American beavers ; but as I place coniidence in the observa- 

 tions of Mr. Morgan, I do not feet entitled to allow the 

 counter-statements of my correspondents to nullify them. 

 Still, I must allow such counter-statements to carry a con- 

 siderable degree of weight, and therefore I feel that at present 

 it is most judicious to say that, pending further and trust- 

 worthy observations, I am not really in a position to discus.-? 

 the quality of reason as it occurs in this animal. On this 

 account 1 should not here have referred to the subject at all, 

 were it not that in my previous work I promised to discuss it 

 in the present one. Finding, however, since then, that the 



facts do Dot appear to be so certain as I supposed, 1 prefer, 

 with this explanation, to allow the matter drop. 



