io8 WILD BIRDS 



season, they keep up the idea of spring till near the 

 end of summer. 



THE ANIMAL MIND 



The dead level of intelligence among wild creatures 

 has long impressed me. The wisdom or under- 

 standing of one individual in the species seems to be 

 on exactly the same level as the wisdom of other 

 individuals in the species. What one song thrush 

 knows and can do, all song thrushes know and can 

 do, whether the action or knowledge relates to food, 

 shunning an enemy, or building a nest. 



What one partridge can do to cover the retreat 

 of its chicks by feigning to be hurt assuming she 

 does feign every partridge will do if danger 

 threatens. 



No partridge, no song-thrush, no honey-bee, no 

 spider, no caterpillar is wiser or less wise than another 

 of its kind. 



The chrysalid of many moths and butterflies that 

 seems'so^utterly incapable of knowing or doing any 

 wise thing, does most wonderfully clever, adroit 

 deeds to guard itself. And what one chrysalid of 

 a species of moth or butterfly does, every chrysalid of 

 that species does. 



All of a species are geniuses or all are mediocrists. 



The plane of this intelligence within the species 

 is always the same. There seem to be no stupid, 

 no backward bees, spiders, thrushes, caterpillars, 

 chrysalids in the species. 



Such is the impression I get by watching the 



