1881. ] The Reasoning Faculty of Animals. 605 
this is not so much the case, and many consider that the sooner 
we discard the idea of instinct, and the sooner we attempt to ex- 
plain the actions of animals upon the theory of their possessing 
reason, just that much sooner will we be able to come to a just 
conclusion. 
It can hardly be denied that there are some actions, which, in- 
stinctive in the ordinary sense, are transmitted from one genera- 
tion to another, and are performed by all alike. Let us see if we 
can not find a reasonable ground for the first introduction of some 
of these instincts. 
There was a time when the first mud wasp stung its first spider 
or grub, and deposited it in the first nest for the use of its young. 
But how do we know that this action was performed as success- 
fully by the first female wasp, as it is now by her descendants? 
Would it not be just as reasonable to suppose that the present 
perfection of this action, if it be perfect, was the result of long ex- 
perience, and of a gradual improvement from generation to gener- 
ation, as to imagine that the first wasp succeeded as well as her 
descendants do now? There was a time when the first chicken 
was hatched and scratched the ground. But is it necessary to 
Suppose that the first born of the jungle-fowl of India acted as 
our barnyard fowls do now, to account for the ability of the new 
born chicks to run over and scratch the ground? Not so. These 
actions, and perhaps many more, are hereditary faculties, imper- 
fect and crude at first, but gradually improving and perfecting, 
and transmitted from generation to generation in the same way as 
a taste for engineering, a liking for science, or ambition to be a 
Soldier, descends from father to son. The gradual development 
of the mind of animals and of man, is under the influence of the 
Same laws as the development of the body. 
It is probable that the first pair of jungle-fowls of India, way 
back in antediluvian times, hatched a brood of young ones, which 
Stayed in the nest till fully fledged, as do the young of most all 
birds, Suppose an accidental event occurred, which made it 
advantageous for the young chick to be able to run and scratch 
a$ Soon as it broke out of the shell. Suppose it was found by 
Nature, that the chick that could run away soonest after being 
™m, would be the one most likely to escape from the clutches of 
the hawk when the mother was driven from the nest, The 
additional safeguard of life would be seized upon, and by 
