INSTINCT AND INTELLIGENCE. 



the chief obstacle to the extension of the natural intelligence of 

 many animals is the want of language to express their feelings 

 and thoughts. It is evident that if the dog or the ourang-outang, 

 which was the suhject of Cuyier's experiments, could speak, their 

 intelligence would he vastly enlarged. 



Deprived of language, the more intelligent of the inferior 

 animals seem, like the dumb, deeply conscious of the want, and 

 make supernatural efforts to supply it and to make their sentiments 

 understood. For this purpose they resort to ingeniously modulated 

 vocal sounds, to signs and gestures. Each creature invents for 

 itself a sort of pantomimic and highly expressive language. The 

 dog appeals to you hy gently laying his paw upon you, and if 

 that fail to awaken your attention, he strokes you or taps you 

 with it, as if he knew that you would thus he more apt \afeel his 

 solicitation. Does the cat desire to have some want supplied ? 

 she raises her hack and passes her soft fur in 'contact with your 

 legs, and repeats the application hy going round and round you. 

 'i'he horse waiting at your door, fresh from his stall, and impa- 

 tient for air and exercise, expresses his desire by pawing the 

 ground with his fore-foot. In the pairing season, the male bird 

 tries to fascinate his gentle mate by spreading out the iine hues of 

 his plumage, making circuits, and iluttering around her. 



All animals that have voice at all, use its modulations as a 

 means of expression, and render it manifest that they would 

 speak if they could. Many and ingenious are the artidces which 

 they use as a substitute for the admirable instrument of inter- 

 communication with which man has been gifted. 



119. Thus, for example, in the case of such mammifers and 

 birds as usually assemble in herds or flocks, individuals are 

 observed who, being placed as sentinels, warn their companions of 

 the approach of danger. 



Marmots and flamingoes present examples of this. It is also 

 observed with swallows, who, when their young are menaced by 

 an enemy, immediately call together, by their cries of distress, all 

 the swallows of the neighbourhood, who fly to the aid of their 

 fellows, and unite to harass the animal whose attack they fear. 



120, It has been well ascertained that various species of insects 

 have means of intercommunication. The observations of Huber, 

 LatreiUe, and other naturalists, leave scarcely a doubt on this 

 point. Thus, for example, when an ant's nest has suffered any 

 local dishirbance, the whole colony is informed of the disaster 

 with astonishing rapidity ; no appreciable sound is heard, hut the 

 particular ants who are witnesses of the fact, are seen running in 

 various directions among their companions. They bring their 

 heads into contact, and unite their antenna3 as two persons 



172 



