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CHAPTER IX. 



TOUCH IN BIRDS. 



Two very ingenious theorists, Count Buffon and Dr. 

 Darwin, maintain that the sagacity of animals is in 

 all or most instances dependent on the peculiar struc- 

 ture and delicacy of the organs of touch. The argu- 

 guments which they have advanced in support of 

 these views are not a little plausible ; and though 

 many of them may be more of the nature of coinci- 

 dences than related as cause and effect, we think 

 it will prove interesting to introduce a few as illus- 

 trations. 



The elephant, for example, which surpasses per- 

 haps every other animal in intelligence, possesses a 

 very delicate organ of touch in its trunk or proboscis, 

 with which, as with a hand, it can lift the most 

 minute things ; and from its flexibility, it can bend 

 around and feel whatever it wishes to examine. Si- 

 milar examples occur, though not so strikingly, in 

 other animals, such as the dog, which examines every 

 thing with his nose ; and the theory appears to be 

 corroborated by reference to the greyhound, which is 

 well known to be the most stupid of the species, and 

 which, from its possessing a less exquisite smell, 

 does not, like other dogs, examine objects in this 

 manner. It is certain also that the armadillo, which 

 is covered with hard scales, manifests only the lowest 

 degree of wisdom. 



" The muzzle," says Buffon, " is divided into two 

 parts by the mouth, because the tongue serves both 

 for touching bodies, and for turning them over, 



T 



