166 LETTERS TO MARCO xxv 



the fact that the bird flew along the way the 

 train was going giving me quite an excep- 

 tionally good opportunity of observing it. 

 In a former letter I spoke of the birds I saw 

 from the train whilst going from Reading to 

 Marlborough ; and whenever I have done 

 that journey since, the tameness of birds as 

 regards the passing trains has struck me as 

 very remarkable ; so near an approach to 

 any of these birds on foot would have been 

 simply impossible. 



Instinct as to danger seems very strongly 

 implanted in the brute animals. I remember 

 seeing bullocks resisting to their utmost to 

 pass up a narrow passage leading- to a 

 slaughter - house which they could never 

 have seen in their life before, and after some 

 trouble enticed in by means of a horse, 

 which was led up the passage, the bullocks 

 following from the confidence they had in 

 their fellow -creature. It is said that it is 

 the smell of blood that excites the animal's 

 suspicions ; but the horse pays no attention 



