28 AUTHENTICITY OF ANECDOTES. 



the narratives that record his attachment to his master's 

 grave. They accept the story, as usually given, in all its 

 essentials ; and they are correct in so doing. Again, the 

 discussion recently carried on by Pouchet and other authors 

 as recorded in the 6 Animal World ' as to hedgehogs 

 spiking apples with their quills shows that there is the 

 greatest possible difficulty sometimes in ascertaining the 

 exact truth in current stories about common animals. Asser- 

 tions on the one hand are controverted, or their facts denied 

 on the other the authors of both assertion and denial being, 

 perhaps, equally reputable writers. 



It has to be explained, lastly, that the value of anecdotes 

 is apt to be greatly over-estimated. Apart altogether from 

 the fact, already pointed out, that every man, woman, or 

 child may speedily observe a sufficient number of facts 

 upon which to base safe and sound conclusions as to the 

 nature of animal 'instinct,' a few common, well-authenti- 

 cated incidents are sufficient for the same purpose quite 

 as valuable as a larger number, and infinitely more valu- 

 able than a host of anecdotes unsupported by proper evi- 

 dence of their authenticity. For this and other reasons I 

 have deemed it both unnecessary and undesirable to crowd 

 these pages with any profusion of illustrative anecdotes 

 or quotations, which would have the disadvantage of con- 

 fusing the reader and distracting his attention, as well as 

 of occupying space that is devoted, it is hoped, to better 

 purpose. 



