282 EXAMPLE OF INSTINCT. 



relation to instinct is more remarkable, I have 

 heard, that a nest, when altogether finished, 

 had suddenly an addition made to it, followed by 

 a flood, by which addition it was saved from 

 being inundated by the consequent rise of the 

 water. Was not this like intuition ? 



AMICUS. A curious instance this of high 

 instinct, if it may not be referred to instinct 

 and experience combined. By experience, 

 I mean the recollection of injury from a former 

 flooding of the nest. 



PISCATOR. Whichever way considered, the 

 incident is hardly less remarkable. I am dis- 

 posed to refer the effort, as well as the prescience 

 of its necessity, to pure instinct. Instinct, let 

 us keep in mind, has in its operations hardly 

 a limit ; as the sexual feeling impels the building 

 of the nest and the sitting on the eggs, so 

 some feeling produced by a state of atmosphere 

 preceding a heavy fall of rain, and consequent 

 flood, may impel to the heightening of the 

 nest. Is it more remarkable than the building 

 of the ark by Noah ? 



The fish have altogether ceased to rise ; and 

 the best time of the day is past for fishing at 

 this season, one o'clock ; and of bad augury, 



