INSTINCT. 
this provision of nature has been fully elucidated 
by the observations of Reaumur and many 
others as to the efficacy of artificial heat in 
_ procuring the development of the chick. : 
___ 5. The instincts of many parent animals are 
_ likewise the means adopted by nature for pro- 
/ curing nourishment for the young. This is 
_ observed as to those of the lower orders whose 
N., ng are brought forth in circumstances ren- 
e od it impossible for them to procure their 
_ own food (as the bee and wasp), and also as to 
_ the carnivorous tribes, both of birds and quad- 
-rupeds; the exertion requisite for procurmg 
their prey being beyond the power of the young 
animal, the instinct of the parent supplies the 
defect. In most cases fresh supplies of food 
are daily or even hourly brought to the young 
animals, but in some instances stores of nou- 
bi rishment are provided for the young of the 
higher animals, equally as for those of the bee 
_ or ant; the pelican brings a large supply in 
__ his pouch from a single fishing; and according 
_ to the observations of an author in the Magazine 
of Natural History, some of the carnivorous 
animals have the curious instinct of storing up 
_ with this view animals not dead, but stupified 
by injury of the brain. “I dug out,” says he, 
“ five young pole-cats, comfortably imbedded 
in dry withered grass; and in a side hole, of 
proper dimensions for such a larder, I poked 
out forty large frogs and two toads, all alive, 
but merely capable of sprawling a little. On 
examination I found that the whole number, 
toads and all, had been purposely and dex- 
_ trously bitten through the brain.” * 
Lastly, the young of all warm-blooded 
animals being unable for some time after they 
come into the world to maintain their own 
temperature, would soon perish of cold, even 
_ if capable of procuring their own food, 
but for the protection they receive from their 
a. This seems to be the most general 
al cause of the erogyn or maternal affection 
so strongly implanted in all these animals, and 
to which so much of the first period of the 
existence of their offspring is intrusted, but of 
which there is little trace in the lower tribes. 
As, however, the dangers to which these young. 
_ animals are exposed are numerous and varied, 
; so nature has provided against them, not by a 
| 
4 
propensity to the performance of one kind of 
action only, but by a vigilant and permanent 
feeling which controls all the habits of the 
parent animal, and prompts many actions, some 
_ of which are strictly instinctive, while others 
Ought rather to be called voluntary, but are 
! quite at variance with the ordinary habits of 
the animals. Every one must be aware of the 
increased ferocity given to the female carnivo- 
rous animals during the time that they are 
occupied with the care of their young, and of 
the resolution with which birds, at other seasons 
pacific and even timid, will resent any intrusion 
on their nests or young broods; of the provi- 
dent care of the cat or the lioness, which carries 
her young in her mouth, and of almost all fe- 
male warm-blooded animals, which gather them 
* Magazine, &c. vol. vi. p. 206. 
15 
close to their bodies for protection from cold ; 
of the anxiety of the hen which has sat on 
duck’s eggs, when the ducklings take to the 
water; of the resolution and ingenuity with 
which the lapwing fixes on herself the attention * 
of passengers who may come near her nest, &c. 
But what most distinctly indicates that all this 
care and anxiety are unconnected with any such 
anticipation of the results as would be acquired 
by a process of reasoning, is the absolute indif- 
ference which succeeds, when the parent animal 
at length sees her offspring independent of her 
assistance— 
«« And once rejoicing, never knows them more.” 
III. Various instinctive propensities may be 
observed in animals, the object of which is the 
advantage of the race or of the animal creation 
generally, rather than of the individual or his) 
progeny, and some the object of which is still 
obscure. Some of these are, like the maternal 
affection last mentioned, obviously partaken by: 
the human race, or even chiefly perceptible 
in those animals which have much con- 
nexion with man. The instinctive attachments 
not only of dogs but various domestic animals 
to their masters or attendants, of cats to houses, 
of sheep to particular hills or pastures, might 
be illustrated by many curious anecdotes, and 
seem to be very similar to the feelings which, 
after being fully developed in the human race, 
and strengthened and extended by the reflective 
powers of the human mind, obtain the names 
of family affection, of local attachment, of 
patriotism, &c. If the instinct of modesty 
exists in hardly any animals, the desire of clean- 
liness may be observed in many. The instinct 
of imitation, formerly noticed, and which is of 
so essential importance to all human enterprises 
in which the cooperation of numbers is re- 
quired, is perhaps more distinctly observable 
in individual monkeys than in any other ani- 
mals, although it is probable that a similar 
feeling may be part of the bond of association 
by which many animals are congregated toge- 
ther in the mode to be presently noticed. The 
intuitive perception of the signs of emotion 
or passion in the countenance and gestures 
which precedes and excites the tendency to 
imitation in man, is obviously common to us 
with many other animals. 
In fact, although we rigidly maintain the 
essential superiority of the intellect of man 
over that of all other animals, we have already 
stated that the greater number of the active 
powers of the human mind which furnish the 
chief motives to action are on the same footing 
with those which operate on the lower animals. 
Not only are our appetites similar to theirs, 
but the greater number of the desires of which 
we are conscious are either shared with, us by 
them, or at least would seem to belong to the 
same class as their instincts. Thus the desire of 
approbation is quite obvious at least in some 
of the domestic animals, and the desire of 
society, as observed: by Stewart, seems to act 
very generally, although variously, in the ani- 
mal creation. The desire of power may be 
thought to be more peculiar to man, and we 
