NATURE STUDIES. 



one which in reality demonstrated, or even strongly 

 suggested, the exercise of reasoning faculties by 

 animals. We quote it, however, because it illustrates 

 well the mistakes into which want of care may lead 

 the student of our subject. During the cold weather of 

 a recent winter the writer of the letter in question put 

 bread on the window-sills of his drawing-room for the 

 benefit of the birds. These, finding food there, were 

 constantly fluttering about the windows. " One day 

 a large water-rat was seen on the window-sill, helping 

 himself to the bread. In order to reach the window 

 he had to climb to a height of about 1 3 f t. ; this he 

 did by the help of a shrub trained against the wall. 

 Neither instinct nor experience/' proceeds the cor- 

 respondent of Nature, " will easily account for his 

 conduct, since he never found food there before. If 

 neither experience nor instinct, what, save reason, led 

 him ? His action seems to have been the result of no 

 small observation and reasoning. He seems to have 

 said to himself: I observe the birds are thronging 

 the window all day; they Would not be there for 

 naught ; it may be they find there something to eat ; 

 if so, perhaps I, too, might find there something I 

 should like. I shall try." The way in which this 

 story is told singularly illustrates the difficulty which 

 we, as speaking animals, find in understanding how 

 a process of reasoning can be carried on without the 

 imagined use of words. Probably few men whose 

 mental powers have been well trained carry on a pro- 

 cess of pure ratiocination, without clothing with words 



