JUNK 151 



one that faced the pond turned neither to the right nor 

 left, and I followed as best I could, but soon lost it in the 

 underbrush and weeds. Retracing my steps, I searched 

 for the others, but without success. 



Did these turtles start out with the idea of searching 

 for water ? Had they formulated any plan ? Recalling 

 those that I had seen in the ditch as I walked away, I felt 

 the hopelessness of the attempt to unravel the tangle of 

 what chelonian or any other " lower " form of life really 

 is, and particularly how far it is akin to our own. When 

 a dwelling-house is burned, the inmates take refuge in the 

 nearest shelter. The current of a person's thoughts at 

 such a time is readily traced. Even if such an unwelcome 

 experience has not been our own, we are sure as to what 

 we would do and think under such circumstances, and 

 naturally ascribe the same to our neighbors. Are we 

 warranted in following a like plan in judging of turtles ? 

 The breaking of an embankment drains a mill-pond, and 

 a score of unhoused turtles seek shelter in the nearest ad- 

 joining pools of water. Was the mental process similar 

 to, or identical with that of the supposed case of mankind 

 when a dwelling was burned ? If so, to some extent our 

 task is simplified ; but " if so " ever stands guard over all 

 such suppositions, and I sometimes fear it ever will. 



Since the above was written, I have had the pleasure 

 of reading Lubbock's recent work on " Animal Intelli- 

 gence," and the following throws a new light upon the 

 subject : 



" The general aspect of nature must present to animals 

 a very different appearance from what it does to us. 



" These considerations can not but raise the reflection 

 how different the world may I was going to say must 

 appear to other animals from what it does to us. Sound 

 is the sensation produced on us when the vibrations of 

 the air strike on the drum of our ear. When they are 



