22 WILD TRAITS IN TA^IE ANIMALS. 



before he arrived at the spot ! If he were ready 

 to reveal his methods, you would probably learn 

 that in making this calculation he took account 

 of the temperature of the air, the direction of 

 the wind, the character of the pebble and of 

 the soil in which it had lain embedded. Plainly 

 such problems could not be solved with success 

 without an immense and most accurate know- 

 ledge of natural phenomena, an alert imagination, 

 and logical ability of no mean order. 



We will now wish him " crood huntina," and 

 return across the centuries. For, although it 

 would be very interesting to accompany him on 

 his day's round and watch his method of getting 

 a living, we have "other fish to fry," and having, 

 I think, captured what we want for the purpose 

 during our early excursion, we will no longer 

 embarrass our archaic progenitor with our clumsy 

 civilised ways. 



Whether or no this imaginary family portrait 

 is correct in its details, I think we may be 

 tolerably positive as regards one particular. It 

 was an invariable and essential mental habit 

 with him not only to gather facts, but to read 

 their meaning, both immediate and remote. 

 Now, if we are justified in ascribing the delio-fit 



