22 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMALS. CHAP, I. 



tained." This might be easily accomplished by any 

 one killing an individual immediately after it has been 

 fully ascertained to have resorted to this mode of cure, 

 after having been injured by the serpent with which it 

 may have fought. 



(26.) The instinct of the black American bear, in 

 procuring the acorns and chestnuts from the branches of 

 particular trees, is worthy attention. To procure these 

 fruits in greater quantities, the animal ascends the tree ; 

 and as his weight will not allow of his going far from 

 the trunk, he breaks the branch on which he has ob- 

 served the most fruit, by grasping it in one of his fore 

 paws. " I have seen some of these branches/' observes 

 Michaux*, " of such a diameter, that the animal must 

 have possessed an extraordinary strength to break them 

 so effectually as to fall upon the ground." Another 

 singular and almost incredible instance of adapting 

 means to an end is mentioned by Plutarch, who writes : 

 ' ' When I saw a dog in a ship the sailors not being 

 present dropping small stones into the oil which 

 was in a jar but partly full, I was astonished at his 

 conceiving and understanding the overflow which takes 

 place when heavy bodies sink in the lighter ."t 



(27.) The contrivance of the elephant to raise him- 

 self from the bottom of a pit is conducted on the same 

 principle as that pursued by Plutarch's dog. When 

 the natives have discovered his capture, he is retained 

 in the pit until they judge he is sufficiently tractable to 

 be conducted forth. Large bundles of jungle grass are 

 then thrown to him ; and he is thus gradually raised to 

 the surface, or, at least, to such an elevation as will 

 enable him to step out. The sagacity of elephants on 

 such occasions, or when bogged in swamps, is truly ad- 

 mirable. The cylindrical form of an elephant's leg 

 which is nearly of equal thickness causes the 

 animal to sink very deep in heavy ground, especially in 

 the muddy banks of small rivers. When thus situated, 



Travels, p. 318. 



t De Solert. Animalium. Opp. t. ii. p. 967. ed. Lut Par. 162*. Shepp. 

 Ant. Dr. 171. 



