f 



Mimicry and Mimicking Theories. 45 



It will, however, be well, in the first instance, to deal with 

 the term u instinct." As by some of the old French philoso- 

 phers unlearned in geology the existence of fluviatile or marine 

 organic remains on mountain-top or inland highland was 

 denied for fear they should be used as arguments for the 

 u Noachian flood," so, on the other hand, was the phenomenon 

 called u instinct often denied, in order to discountenance 

 the views of the teleoiogist. Now, as Mr. Meldola lias ap- 

 pealed to psychology, he will probably agree with me in accep- 

 ting Mr. Spencer's doctrine of u inherited acquisition " as 

 the best explanation of what we at present understand by 

 u instinct ;" and we can then estimate how far Mr. Spalding's 

 experiments went to show that there was an inherited ac- 

 quisition of ideas and experience in young chickens and 

 turkeys to recognize and avoid inedible and sting-possessing 

 insects. 



It is unnecessary to occupy space by describing the pains- 

 taking and accurate method pursued by Mr. Spalding in these 

 investigations. Both chickens and turkeys gave evidence of 

 u instinctive fear of these sting-bearing insects;" but, as the 

 investigator candidly admitted, and as I quoted him, u the 

 results were not uniform, and perhaps the most accurate gene- 

 ral statement I can give is, that they were uncertain, shy, and 

 suspicious." Now it seemed to me then (and I cannot say 

 that Mr. Meldola has removed the impression) , that if young 

 poultry, not dependent upon insect food, can yet exhibit such 

 strongly inherited acquisitions of ideas and experience in 

 recognizing inedible insects (Mr. Spalding showed that they 

 at once and with avidity attacked flies), it is not unphiloso- 

 phical to predicate a much greater excess of the same in 

 purely insectivorous birds in a state of nature. 



As regards facts, we have the evidence of Bates and Belt, 

 which has been stated with due force by Mr. Wallace him- 

 self *, that the Beliconidae do possess an immunity from the 

 attacks of birds, lizards, and predaceous flies ; and through Dr. 

 Miiller has sent home a specimen of a Heliconius u which 

 had apparently been seized when at rest by some bird, as there 

 is a notched piece bitten out of the two fore wings," and Mr. 

 Meldola possesses a cabinet-specimen u which is notched on 

 both hind wings," I still think we require further evidence 

 before accepting the novel view of u psychological onto- 

 geny " in butterflies ; and without these facts, which every 

 candid biologist and entomologist will gladly accept when 

 forthcoming, there is little benefit accruing to science by 



♦ 



' Natural Selection/ p. 70. 



