166 SALMONIA. 



many of the supposed instincts of animals, such 

 as migrations, building nests, and selection ot 

 food, to imitation ; but, I confess, I cannot 

 explain the last fact you have brought forward 

 on this principle. Pray, Ornither, let me state 

 your view, as I understand it, that we may not 

 differ as to the meaning of language. I con- 

 clude you adopt Hartley's view of association, 

 that the motions of the muscles in man are 

 first automatic, and become voluntary by as- 

 sociation ; and that reason is the application of 

 voluntary motions for a particular end. For 

 instance : a child is not afraid of fire, but, 

 bringing its hand near the fire, it is burnt, and 

 the convulsions of the muscles produced by 

 the pain ends in removing the hand from the 

 source of pain. These motions by association 

 are made voluntary ; and after this experiment 

 he avoids the fire by reason, and takes care 

 always to perform those motions which remove 

 his limbs from this destructive agent. But in 

 contrasting instinct with this slow process, you 

 would say, most animals, without having felt 

 the effect of fire, have an innate dread of it ; 

 and in the same way, without having been 



