" i82 OF INSTINCT. SEcr.XVF.?. 



*i '*'?*" *x *'f -V * * 



IX. It mufl have already appeared to the reader, 



that all other animals, as well as man, are pofiefled 

 of this natural language of the pafiions, exprefled 

 in fjgns or tones ; and we (hall endeavour to evince, 

 that thofe animals, which have preferved themfelves 

 from being enflaved by mankind, and are aiTociated 

 in flocks, are alib pofiefled of fome artificial lan- 

 guage, and of fome traditional knowledge. 



The mother-turkey, when (he eyes .a kite hover- 

 ing high in air, has either feen her own parents 

 thrown into fear at his prefence, or has by obferva- 

 tion been acquainted with his dangerous defigns 

 upon her young. She becomes agitated with fear, 

 and ufes the natural language of that paflion, her 

 young ones catch the fear by imitation, and in an 

 inftant conceal themfelves in the grafs. 



At the fame time that (he (hews her fears by her 

 gefture and deportment, (he ufes a certain exclama- 

 tion, Kpe-ut, Koe-ut, and the young ones afterwards 

 know, when they hear this note, though they do not 

 fee their dam, that the prefence of their adverfary is 

 denounced, and hide themfelves as before. 



The wild tribes of birds have very frequent op- 

 portunities of knowing their enemies, by obferving 

 the deftructiun they make among their progeny, of 

 which every year but a fmall part efcapes to maturity: 

 but to our domeftic birds thefe opportunities fo 

 rarely occur, that their knowledge of their diftant 

 enemies mult frequently be delivered by tradition in 

 the manner above explained, through many gene- 

 rations. 



This note oi danger, as well as the other notes 

 of the mother turkey, when (he calls her flock to 

 their food, o*- to fleep under her wings, appears to be 

 an artificial language, both as exprefled by the mo- 

 ther, and as underltood by the progeny. For a hen 

 teaches this language with equal eafe to tlr* duck- 

 lings the has hatched from luppofituious eggs, and 



educates 



