SIMULTANEOUS COMPANY MOVEMENTS loi 

 manner, they keep their distance by swimming 

 or diving from the pursuer until unduly pressed, 

 when, simultaneously, they take to flight and 

 so outmanoeuvre the enemy. 



The same applies to land animals and birds 

 inhabiting bare tracts. At the approach of 

 danger these stand motionless and erect. 

 After maintaining this attitude for a moment 

 or two, the whole body moves off (or rises) 

 simultaneously. This spontaneous action is 

 very remarkable, and obviously the outcome 

 of a scheme for protection. 



Company movements of birds and animals 

 may be compared to the practices of a well- 

 drilled squad of soldiers, whose units combin- 

 ing produce that uniformity of action essential 

 to operations, offensive, defensive or protec- 

 tive. In the case of a body of men, combined 

 action would be impossible without the com- 

 mand words of a leader ; the actions that 

 follow the words of command are due to his 

 (the leader's) individual mind. It is generally 

 supposed that animals and birds are actuated 

 in much the same way ; namely, the signals of 

 a leader. But once admit this and there is no 

 alternative but to believe that animals have 

 reasoning minds, if not equal to, at least on 

 the same plane as our own. The writer's 

 behef, already expressed, is that animals 



