MENTAL POWERS OF ANIMALS. 365 



the belief (as they undoubtedly did at first) that they were the 

 young birds from the nest. 



My friend, Mr. T. G. Baldwin, has sent me the following very 

 interesting note, which I quote in extenso : — 



" You have asked me to give you a few instances which I may 

 have observed of intelligence displayed by animals in the Sundar- 

 bans (Bengal), a place with which I have been acquainted for 

 many years. The tract is about 270 miles in length from east 

 to west, approximately 80 miles from north to south, and forms 

 a network of rivers and islands. The main rivers of the Sun- 

 darbans are very broad, and near the sea-face the banks are 

 miles apart. The big game to be found in this tract are Boyal 

 Bengal tigers, rhinoceri, leopards, and spotted deer ; the 

 common brown monkey is to be seen in great numbers. I may 

 mention that the rhinoceros, unlike that found in Purneah, 

 Assam, Nepal, and other places, has no horn, but there is a 

 growth of very stiff bristly hair where the horn should be. 



" The sagacity of the Sundarban Tiger is very remarkable. 

 Having exploited, we will say, the whole of one of the islands or 

 churs, and finding that the deer and pigs have become conscious 

 of its presence, the tiger seeks fresh fields and pastures new to 

 sustain itself. While on this mission, it crosses from one island 

 to another. With apparent ease it will negotiate a small stream 

 in a single leap. But the sagacity of the animal is tested when 

 a broad river comes in the way. If the tiger happens to be 

 north, and wishes to travel in a southerly direction, it proceeds 

 to the water's edge, and enters the stream at a sufficient distance 

 to feel the force of the current. (The rivers are all tidal.) If it 

 finds that the set of the tide is advantageous to its purpose, it 

 starts off, swimming and drifting till it reaches the opposite 

 shore. In one of my visits to the tract, I came upon a solitary 

 island, bounded on all sides by a vast expanse of water. I did 

 not expect to meet ' stripes ' there, but the fresh pugs on the 

 soft soil clearly indicated its presence. I went in pursuit for 

 some distance, and was only prevented from going further by a 

 stream about fourteen feet wide, through which I did not care 

 to risk wading for fear of being caught in the jaws of a crocodile, 

 which is so abundant in these parts. 



" The ingenuity of the monkeys in this tract is marvellous. 



