Intelligence and the Acquisition of Habits. 163 



expansiveness ready to try all, dare all, and do all, with 

 the narrower and more restricted, if more concentrated, 

 efforts of those in whom the stern lessons of experience 

 have checked so much that is picturesquely impossible. 

 And this exuberant expansiveness of youth is a biological 

 and psychological fact of profound significance. 



One or two examples in further illustration of habits 

 which may be fairly regarded as acquired may now be 

 given. Mr. J. Southwell* has described how sparrows 

 at first pulled to pieces yellow crocuses to get at the 

 nectar, but afterwards simply bruised the perianth tube 

 sufficiently to extract the sweet fluid; and he suggests 

 that this habit begotten, be it noted, of intelligent 

 restriction is acquired, and not inherited. 



In the Zoologist^ for January, 1896, Dr. Lowe describes 



a curious habit of the blackcap which he observed in 



Tenerife. The birds visit the flowers of Hibiscus rosa- 



sinensis and tear out pieces from the two upper segments 



of the calyx, thus causing a drop of sweet fluid to exude. 



This acts as a "bait," attracting numerous insects on 



which the birds feed. A similar habit has been observed 



in the Grand Canary in the case of a tit (Parus tenerifa), 



: which perforates the calyx of a shrubby species of AbutUon. 



'" The object of this proceeding seems to be to afford 



ji ready means by which ants may arrive at the nectary." 



I These, " after consuming the nectar, are found in a semi- 



!:orpid state, making no attempt to escape on being dis- 



.urbed. They thus fall an easy prey to the tits, which 



risit all the flowers at short intervals during the day, 



ind clear off all the ants. Another bird closely resembling 



I .he willow wren also makes periodic visits to the Abutilon 



lowers for the purpose of feeding on the ants," but was 



lot observed to take any part in lacerating the calyx. 



* Nature, vol. x. p. 7. t Vol. xx. pp. 1-10. 



