USE OF NATURAL INSTRUMENTS. 425 



paws and teeth in breaking nut-laden branches from trees 

 (Houzeau). 



Unaided, however, by other means many animals could 

 not accomplish the objects they have in view their own 

 protection, maintenance, or comfort did they not, in addi- 

 tion to the various parts or organs of their own bodies, 

 make use of various extrinsic objects mostly movables, to 

 which they have so easy access. For various purposes they 

 make appropriate use of 



1. Stones, pieces of rock, or other hard substances, fixed 

 or movable for instance, as missiles, or as anvils or wedges. 



2. Pieces of stick or wood, broken from trees or found on 

 the ground in forests, and used as clubs or cudgels, as 

 levers, or as means of reaching objects out of range. 



3. Nuts or other fruits of various kinds as missiles. 



4. Leaves of different kinds, or leafy branches as whisks, 

 flappers, fans, sunshades, punkahs, brushes or switches ; or 

 in the construction of various forms of shelter. 



Stones or movable bits of rock are frequently used, in 

 the first place, as missiles or projectiles, and this sometimes 

 by most unlikely animals. Thus the Rev. Dr. van Lennep, 

 the well-known American missionary in Palestine, tells 

 us of a bear of the Anti-Taurus that, being attacked by 

 shepherds and their dogs, ' retired, flinging stones at his 

 pursuers with such an accurate aim and force that severe 

 wounds were inflicted on them.' 



The Polar bear, again, rolls down with corresponding 

 effect huge pieces of rock from the summits of cliffs on the 

 walrus reclining unsuspectingly at their base (Watson and 

 Hall). Various monkeys and apes use stones as projectiles 

 in the same way that boys employ them if they happen to be 

 more accessible than the fruits with which from their high 

 tree fastnesses they so frequently pelt forest travellers in 

 tropical countries. Barbary apes pelt man or each other 

 with fruits (Cassell). Lawson describes himself as pelted 

 with wallah nuts and excrement by monkeys in New Guinea. 

 Portions of the branches of trees are also frequently used by 

 monkeys to pelt enemies or intruders. The orang when 

 pursued throws or flings branches, sticks, and heavy fruits 



