250 NASCENT REASON, EMOTION, 



White, m his " Natural History of Selborne," says that some 

 Fly -catchers built every year in the vines that grew on the walls of 

 his house. "A pair of these little birds," he adds, "had one year 

 inadvertently placed their nest on a naked bough, perhaps in a 

 shady time, not being aware of the inconvenience that would follow: 

 but a hot sunny season coming on before the brood was half fledged, 

 the reflection of the wall became insupportable, and must inevitably 

 have destroyed the tender young, had not affection suggested an 

 expedient, and prompted the parent birds to hover over the nest 

 all the hotter hours, while, with wings expanded, and mouths gaping 

 for breath, they screened off the heat from their suffering off- 

 spring." 



Another remarkable instance is also cited by the Editor of the 

 above work.* He says : " During a wet day, a house swallow's 

 nest became saturated, and fell to the ground. It contained five 

 unfledged young ones. A lady who saw the accident, collected the 

 brood, placed the lining of the nest in a small basket inside [? out- 

 side] the window of her dressing-room. She soon had the pleasure 

 of seeing the old birds come and feed their offspring. One of them 

 was so weak, that it did not receive the same quantity of food as 

 the others, and, consequently, when they were able to leave the 

 nest, this helpless one remained, only half fledged, and suffering 

 from cold, when it had the whole nest to itself. There was at the 

 time a bitter north-east wind, which penetrated through the open- 

 ings in the basket work, and which, of course, added to the misery 

 of the poor bird. All at once the old ones were seen to come with 

 clay in their mouths, and in a short time they built up a wall 

 against the basket, which effectually screened the young one from 

 the cold wind. It was reared and took its flight." 



These seem to be unquestionably reasoned acts, per- 

 formed with a distinct * imagination ' of the objects which 

 they were to subserve, and this, too, in the face of altogether 

 unfamiliar conditions. "We have, therefore, Keason, 

 Imagination, and Volition, combining for the attainment 

 of a novel end. But other notable instances may be cited. 

 The Editor of White's ' Selborne' sayst: 



* Bonn's " Illustrated Library " edition, p. 154 

 f Bonn's edition, p. 166. 



