58 Spinning for Mutineer. Ciiai'T. v. 



known definition of the angler, " a stick and a staring with a worm 

 "at one end and a fool at the other," albeit the learned man 

 spake it in ignorance. 



I repeat, again, the fish at least is no fool. Eradicate that idea. 

 Take a new creed. Say rather he is a thinking animal. I might 

 go on multiplying examples to prove it, but I should weary you. 

 Pray do not breath a word about reason and instinct, or I shall have 

 to begin again and write a whole chapter on that well-worn though 

 interesting subject. Do just please concede for peace sake that my 

 fish is a reasoning being, and I will go on to the next subject, bis 

 talkativeness. 



I have stated my belief that fish are able to communicate their 

 ideas to each other, and I hold this opinion on two grounds ; the 

 first, that it would be contrary to the analogy of all nature if they 

 could not do so, and the second, that I think I can recognize 

 indications of their exercising this power. 



My belief, then, is that all the higher animal life that we know 

 anything of has the power of communicating ideas. 



Has any one the hardihood to assert that monkeys cannot 

 converse ? Watch them moving quietly along in a large crowd. 

 One of them gives a little sound of satisfaction, and there are soon 

 plenty with him to share the fruit he has found. That mamma 

 monkey calls to its young one that it is time to be off sharp as there 

 is a man coming, or that it should not dawdle so as there is fruit 

 in front, and it very evidently understands and repairs to its 

 mother hurriedly or leisurely according to the nature of the 

 maternal command. This is very marked. And then how mamma 

 croones over it. Is it all meaningless ? I will be bound there is 

 not so much nonsense in it as in half the stuff talked to babies by 

 nurses and mothers ; about blessing their little tootsi-wootsies and 

 so forth. Let one of the herd see a crocodde where they are about 

 to drink, or a panther, or anything that alarms them, and only 

 listen to the jabbering caught up and carried mi by all. Do you 

 say it is all gibberish > It is intelligible enough to them, and all 

 with one consent take precautions accordingly. They do not run 

 wildly hither and thither, as if overcome by an uncertain fear, but 

 they have a clear idea of what is the matter, ami what they ought 

 tn ilo under the circumstances. The state of affairs has been 

 intelligently communicated. 



