ON THE 



HABITS AND INSTINCTS 



OP 





CHAPTER 



ON THE INSTINCTS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD, AS DIFFERENT 

 FROM HUMAN REASON. - VARIOUS INSTANCES OF INSTINCT. 



(1.) BOTH philosophers and naturalists have long en- 

 deavoured to define the true nature of INSTINCT, or that 

 faculty which is given to nearly all animals in place of 

 the superior gift of improveable REASON. An intelligent- 

 author of the present day unable, as it would seem., to 

 reconcile the clashing opinions of preceding writers 

 facetiously declares, " I am quite of Bonnet's opinion, 

 that philosophers will in vain torment themselves to 

 define instinct, until they have spent some time in the 

 head of an animal, without actually being that animal." 

 He afterwards adds, however, without pretending to 

 enter into a minute analysis of the subject, that he 

 should call " the instincts of animals, those unknown 

 faculties implanted in their constitution by the Creator, 

 by which, independent of instruction observation, and 



