70 DARWINISM AND THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE 



backward of all in man. In the human species the 

 most intelligent races have the least developed instincts. 



It is true in all our mammals the intelligence is so far 

 advanced that their food and flight-instincts can only 

 be in an imperfect condition. But if the alimentary- 

 instinct is only rudimentary in a mammal, if the whole 

 of the mechanism that serves for seizing the victim is 

 only feebly developed, how can the animal capture its 

 prey from the very beginning? A cat that sees a 

 mouse for the first time, and has no instinct to tell it 

 how to catch the creature, will certainly not be able to 

 do so if it has had no experience in catching mice. 

 Now we come to the solution of the problem. In the 

 lower animals actions are regulated by instincts, which 

 work faultlessly from the very first, according to their 

 nature. In the higher animals the instincts are feebly 

 developed, and the actions are regulated by intelligence. 

 But the intelligence must be trained, like the powers of 

 movement. For this a certain period is necessary in 

 which every unsuccessful act will not endanger the life. 

 This is the period of youth. 



The instincts make their appearance, though im- 

 perfectly, in youth ; that is to say, at a time when the 

 animal has as yet no serious need of them. During 

 this period the animal can improve the inherited, 

 imperfect impulses by its own experience ; and if it is 

 taken away from the mother and her direction, it knows 

 how to catch its prey and protect itself, and will acquire 

 in time the requisite adroitness. 



Now, this exercise and training of the faculties takes 

 place in the play of the young. We can, therefore, 



