1 82 Instinct and Intelligence 



the instinctive behaviour of many animals 

 under the influence of selective breeding and 

 domestication becomes greatly modified, and 

 that even wild beasts, if taken in hand when 

 young, may by the exercise of patient and 

 kindly treatment have their inherited disposi- 

 tions much altered, although their savage 

 natures can never be altogether abolished. 

 Probably no one ever had a larger experience 

 as to what can be done in training wild animals 

 than Carl Hagenbeck, who, when referring to 

 this subject, observes that all carnivorous 

 animals " when they are caught young and are 

 properly treated are capable of being brought 

 up as domestic pets " ; he adds that among 

 animals, as among men, good and bad are 

 mixed, and that while the good will develop 

 itself, the bad can be suppressed. 1 With regard 



1 Beasts and Man, an abridged translation, by H. S. R. Elliot, 

 of Carl Hagenbeck's experience of half a century among wild 

 animals. Like human beings, animals differ much in their 

 capacities to be influenced by training. Thus Mr. Bartlett informs 

 us that having some monkeys for sale, a trainer came to him to 

 offer a certain price for the lot ; but he said : " If you will permit 

 me to have them for a week or ten days, I will keep two or three 

 of the animals and send you back the remainder, for it is only 

 those who are attentive that I can train ; the inattentive animals 

 wliose eyes are constantly watching a fly or anything moving 

 about the room are of no use to me ; no amount of teaching will 

 induce them to learn the tricks I require them to perform." 



