ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 207 
man cannot very well do with his boasted intelligence, the bird 
cannot do, forgetting that there is no analogy to be drawn between 
the twe cases. Where we find a race of creatures adapted for long 
flights, and which have undoubtedly for an enormous period of 
lime, twice in each year, been accustomed to migrate to and fro 
across the earth’s surface, we may be well satisfied that they must 
possess in a high degree in their own special organisms the quali- 
fications for the work—qualifications and powers which have 
altogether been lost or are merely latent in man himself. Mr. 
Rowley says:—“ Those who hold the opinion that birds migrate 
by instinct should read the convincing chapters on the way 
Indians travel through unknown forests (Wallace’s ‘ Natural 
Selection, p. 206, et seq.), which proves that man does not possess 
instinct, neither can any one find his way in an unknown forest. 
I contend, then, that what man with intelligence is unable to do, 
birds must fail to accomplish.” 
Now I repeat that there is no analogy between the two cases, 
and that even if it can be shown that man cannot find his way in 
an unknown regiou, which I very much doubt, it is really no 
argument against the bird or other animal not being sufficient for 
the purpose.* Animals do find their way in some extraordinary 
manner, by a sort of intuitive instinct, which almost seems like a 
sixth sense. We have repeatedly, in our own experience, met 
with remarkable instances in domestic animals—cows taken from 
their calves, mares and horses from their foals or a favourite 
pasture, also with dogs taken long distances from home, even by 
rail—finding their way back again by an entirely new route, and 
across a perfectly unknown country. One remarkable case I 
remember of a young horse and mare swimming a great tidal 
river, or arm of the sea, several miles in width, to get back to their 
old quarters, which they succeeded in doing. By what power, 
instinct or intelligence they accomplished this I am unable to say, 
certainly not on the same principle as seeds are carried by ocean 
currents, or blown from field to field. Before setting forth on the 
migratory journey, birds often collect together in large flocks, the 
* Mr. Rowley, I think, -has not comprehended Mr. Wallace's remarks, to which 
he refers in the above passage, so far indeed as I can form an opinion. What Mr. 
Wallace says of the so-called “instinct” of Indians and other savages in finding 
their way is that it is the effect of continued observation (aided by inheritance of the 
faculty) carried on so as to be quite unconsciously exercised. ‘This is really very 
like the “instinct” of migratory birds. " 
‘ 
