40 THE HUMANIZING OF THE BRUTE. 



There must be no disturbance of the regular method 

 or she refuses to proceed. 1 ) 



This argument is rendered still more efficacious, 

 if we consider how often this very regularity of the 

 action destroys its appropriate character, although in 

 common circumstances every instinctive action is 

 adapted to its purpose. It may happen that these cir- 

 cumstances are disturbed by man or some other cause. 

 Now if the animal were conscious of its instinctive 

 actions, it evidently would either desist from acting or 

 adapt its action to the changed conditions. But as 

 many facts have proved, animals prefer to exhibit the 

 most stupid performances rather than change their 

 usual course of procedure. A goose deprived of its 

 embryo goslings continues with great zest to hatch on 

 the dunghill, and hens will do the same on pseudo-eggs 

 and iron chains. Birds, that have seen their offspring 

 killed before their eyes, continue to gather food for 

 their fledglings. Altum vouches for the fact, that 

 some northern birds when deprived of their eggs go so 

 far in phenomenal stupidity as to collect food and dis- 

 gorge it in the nest when the time has arrived for the 

 appearance of their brood, as if it were actually present; 

 or they offer food to the eggs which have become add- 

 led by excessive hatching. 2 ) Chickens have the in- 

 stinct of scratching which ordinarily serves to expose 

 their food or prepare their nest. But they also scratch 

 on a stone floor or on the top of a heap of grain, and do 

 not pickup a single morsel without dashing a dozen or 

 more against the opposite wall. Insects which in case of 



1 ) I.e., p. 212. 



2 ) Dr. B. Altum, Der Vogel und sein L,eben, 6. ed., p. 200. 



