CHAPTER X. 



EDUCATION OP ANIMALS BY EACH OTHER. 



IT is one of the many delusions under which man labours in 

 regard to the mental characteristics of other animals that 

 the lower animals are born with all their faculties perfect 

 that the young duck swims as well as its mother, the young 

 bee builds its cell as well as its sire, and so forth but the 

 fact is that at least many young animals require tuition for 

 the proper development both of their physical and mental 

 nature, just as the human child does. 



And the degree and direction of development depend very 

 much on the kind or character of the education employed. 

 In a great many cases the direct influence of the parent or 

 parents is obvious ; in others it is not so. But, whether it is 

 so or not, various kinds of self-tuition the teachings of 

 experience exist among all the higher and more intelligent 

 animals. 



There are also sundry cases in which older, experienced 

 animals, who are not the parents of their pupils, teach the 

 young and inexperienced, or those that are, while mature in 

 age, inexperienced in certain kinds of practical knowledge. 



It is frequently, indeed, necessary to educate young ani- 

 mals in so essential a matter as the avoidance of poisonous 

 food and the selection of that which is suitable. They have 

 to be taught, moreover, how best to procure what food is 

 appropriate, the manner of seizing and eating it, the search 

 for and pursuit of prey. As is pointed out in the chapters 

 on 'Error,' from ignorance or inexperience even animals 

 of mature age are constantly making mistakes as to what 

 food and drink to select or to avoid. The chicken has to learn 



