Cmap. XVill.] POWEllS OP HIGHER BRUTES. 311 



the peculiar habits of eadi, and the consequently varying 

 nature of their sense endowments — either in the direc- 

 tion of defect or of hyper-refinement in discriminative 

 power. 



The space available in this volume is wholly inadequate 

 to permit of any attempt to do more than call the reader's 

 attention to a few of the more important of the recorded 

 actions of some of the most intelligent of Quadrupeds and 

 Quadrumana. These, however, may be useful for com- 

 parison with those recorded in previous chapters concern- 

 ing animals lower in the scale of development. 



The instinctive operations of Beavers are both well- 

 known and remarkable. While they show us a much less 

 machine-like series of actions than are exhibited by In- 

 sects, Beavers also display a more distinct power of 

 adaptation to new or unusual conditions than is to be 

 met with among Birds. They live in colonies, and work 

 together in a most skilful manner to bring about, by 

 numerous and complicated means, some common purpose 

 — a purpose, moreover, which has at different times to be 

 executed under by no means identical conditions. As 

 Leuret* points out, so great a variety of labours is needed 

 for the constructions carried on by the Beaver; they in- 

 clude so many instances of a well-made choice ; so many 

 accidental difficulties are surmounted by these animals, 

 that it is impossible not to recognize in their acts 

 the characteristics of a rather high intelligence — even 

 though it may be of instinctive origin. The fact of their 

 intelligence having this basis does not, however, detract in 

 the least from its dignity and importance, seeing that 

 instinctive operations constitute almost the necessary 

 Btarting-point for that freer play of choice and independent 



•' Aiiat. Comp. du Syst. Nerv." t i. 1839, p. 506. 



