IX 



The way this book is being written — The hind in Richmond 

 Park again — An imaginary colloquy — Sense of direction in 

 animals and man — Snakes — Insects — A foraging ant — 

 Fishes, batrachians, birds and mammals — Smell in self- 

 preservation — Horses: the history of a homing horse — 

 Sense of direction in man — A gaucho's testimony — Sudden 

 recovery of the sense of direction — Comments. 



IN writing this book I am occasionally reminded of 

 a mushroom-gathering experience on some warm 

 misty September morning when my eyes were 

 searching the ground about or before me while my 

 mind was occupied with some other matter. Here, at 

 this spot, I find no fewer than three perfect beauties 

 — silvery-white hemispherical bosses in the green 

 carpet, and, gathering them, I go on delighted at my 

 success. Then, after going thirty yards or so, I all 

 at once remember that on first sighting them I had 

 distinctly counted four mushrooms and am compelled 

 to retrace my steps to try and re-find the one I had 

 left ungathered. So with the book: from time to 

 time a something omitted comes back and obliges 

 me to break off and go some distance back, if not 

 to the starting-point. 



I may be told that I am to blame in not having 

 mapped out my route beforehand, and that the only 

 thing to do now is to break up the work and build 

 it afresh. It would not suit me to do that. 



135 



