168 Wisconsin Academy oj Sciences^ Arts, and Letlers. 



inheres in a visible portion of magnetic ore, or of steel, causes 

 movements ot the same. In short, mind is the immaterial, imper- 

 ishable, sensitive, intelligent being, which feels, and wills, and 

 thinks, suffers and enjoys, within the body, which though living, 

 would be an unintelligent, or unthinking, possibly unfeeling 

 organism without it. 



Now in the sense that it is held and understood by this class, 

 do the lower animals have minds ? In relation to this question, 

 and for various reasons, persons differ widely in opinion. Some 

 think they have, others think they have not. And it is to the 

 possession of mind, at any rate, or rather the signs of it in this 

 sense, by the lower animals, that I wish to call your attention this 

 evening. 



I know as well as I can ever know, that it is a serious question 

 with many, whether even man possesses mind in the sense just 

 indicated. But I wish for the time, to assume without contro- 

 versy, as a hypothesis, if you please, that they do, and my present 

 inquiry, I repeat, is whether the lower animals show clear signs of 

 having the same ; and if this is refused, I wish to inquire what we 

 are to include as to the mental natures of the lower animals, or 

 how we can explain the phenomena which they present to any in- 

 telligent observer. By the phrase " lower animals" I should say, 

 in passing, I mean the whole animal kingdom. I do not include 

 simply the higher vertebrates, but the entire class. For, as we 

 shall see perhaps, even the humbler types of the animal kingdom 

 present us with striking exhibitions of intelligence. 



In dealing with this matter, it might be expected that I would 

 lay out some division of the faculties of the mind, as a scheme 

 under which examples from among the lower animals might be 

 ranged. But it is deemed the best way to proceed at once to 

 adduce suitable and well authenticated instances of phenomena, 

 which show in fair measure whether or not animals do possess 

 minds. In doing this, the trouble is not to find such examples, 

 but out of the mass of such cases to make a selection, I have 

 collected from various works under my hands many hundreds, 

 and I might truthfully say, thousands of cases of interest. I might 

 occupy hours detailing and discussing my own personal observa- 



