614 The Reasoning Faculty of Animals. [ August, 
back and sailed about while the ducklings were enjoying theif 
swim. This took place day after day, until the ducks were large 
enough to take care of themselves! A gentleman busily at work 
in his garden had his attention attracted by a robin, who was act- 
ing in a curious manner. Feeling some curiosity to know what 
was the cause, he followed the bird and was led directly to her 
nest. There he saw a black snake which was in the act of rob- 
bing the nest. After the snake was killed, the bird showed great 
joy ; flew down and pecked at the dead animal with every appear- 
ance of hatred, and then lighted on the gentleman’s arm and 
poured forth her delight and gratitude in song.. 
With respect to mammals, it is hardly possible to see how any 
body can deny that they often reason. Who can not think of 
instances of the intelligence of dogs? or of a horse? or of the 
elephant? A very few anecdotes must here suffice, A retriever 
was observed by a workman busily collecting grass and leaves 
and carrying them in his mouth to one place. On examining the 
spot he found a hedgehog closely rolled up. When the dog had 
collected a sufficient quantity of grass to prevent the spines 
wounding him, he took the bunch in his mouth and trotted off. 
Darwin? tells a story of another retriever which most conclusively 
shows reason. “ Mr. Colquhoun winged two wild ducks, which 
fell on the opposité side of a stream. His retriever tried to bring 
over both at once, but could not succeed; she then, though never 
before known to ruffle a feather, deliberately killed one, brought 
over the other, and returned for the dead bird.” He also quotes 
Rengger in regard to American monkeys. Rengger states, “that 
when he first gave eggs to his monkeys, they smashed them, thus 
losing much of their contents; afterward they gently hit one end 
against some hard body and picked off the bits of shell with their 
fingers. After cutting themselves only once with any sharp tool, 
they would not touch it again, or would handle it with the 
greatest care. Lumps of sugar were often given them wra 
up in paper, and Rengger sometimes put a live wasp jn the pape? 
so that in hastily unfolding it they got stung; after this had once 
happened, they always first held the packet to their ears to detect 
any movement within.”> A baboon in London had the habit of 
? Wood, Man and Beast, loc. cit., p. 49. 
? Descent of Man, tst ed., 1, p. 46. 
® Descent of Man, tst ed., 1, 45, 46. 
