JUNE. 153 



as it seems to me at least, the true interest of natural his- 

 tory, and may even give us the clew to senses and percep- 

 tions of which at present we have no conception." 



But show that a turtle's sense of smell is sufficiently 

 acute to smell water that is a hundred rods distant or 

 hear the trickling stream that is as far away, and it be- 

 comes mere machine, as it were, led by these exquisitely 

 developed senses, and need possess no trace of intelligence. 

 Still, I am not willing to set all turtles down as fools. 

 The cornered snapper shows he is not in more ways than 

 one, and I have knowledge of a box-tortoise that certainly 

 recognized its keeper, and would come when he called it. 



I returned to the mill-pond as the day was closing, 

 and gave the remaining hours to the few small fishes that 

 found the little brook that remained sufficient for their 

 needs. Little minnows only, and I could not expect much 

 entertainment from them, but they seemed quick-witted 

 enough when I tried to capture a few for identification. 

 Every individual darted into some inaccessible nook when 

 my shadow fell upon the water, and only reappeared 

 when I had stood back for several minutes. 



The last time I did so, and while watching their some- 

 what curious antics in the shallower spots where the 

 smooth areas of dark-brown mud made it practicable to ob- 

 serve them distinctly, I was interrupted by a number of 

 cows that crossed the bed of the pond in a direct line with 

 where I was standing. To my astonishment, these timid 

 minnows did not appear to notice the animals, and con- 

 tinued their sports. This induced me to approach some- 

 what nearer, and I walked as unconcernedly and cow-like 

 as possible, but all to no purpose. The moment I came 

 within view they darted off. Of course it can not be 

 proved, but the circumstantial evidence is very strong 

 that these minnows, which, I may say, probably never saw 

 a human being before, recognized a difference, and saw in 



