350 



ON THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS OF 



already observed, however, that the accommodating power of the instinctive 

 principle to particular circumstances, which so wonderfully enables it to 

 supply the place of reason, gives it, in many instances, a striking as- 

 sumption of its character. It is, hence, possible that one or two of the 

 examples here noticed may be referable to this accommodating faculty ; 

 but the exercise of a certain extent of reason, as a distinct principle, must 

 be admitted in several of them, in which there is not only a display of de- 

 sign and contrivance towards the accomplishment of this new object, but 

 apparently of design and contrivance as the result of a general convention 

 and discussion of the question submitted to the tribe assembled on the oc- 

 casion, and whose common interest is at stake. 



Generally speaking, the principle of instinct is perfect and infallible in 

 its guidance ; there is, however, an occasional aberration, perhaps a play- 

 fulness in this as in every other part of nature. Thus the light of the 

 candle is, by flies and various other insects, mistaken for the light and 

 warmth of the sun, often to the loss of hmb or even life itself. So the 

 fleshy-fly and blow-fly (musca carnifica and m. vomitoria) are deceived by 

 the smell of the carrion-flower (stapelia hirsufa)^ and often deposite their 

 eggs upon it instead of upon putrescent meat ; in consequence of which the 

 grubs die almost as soon as hatched, for want of proper nourishment. 



In like manner, we find occasionally a few migrating birds in countries 

 where they were never seen before, and which have evidently mistaken 

 their course. 



There are various instincts, connected for the most part with a singu- 

 larity of configuration, that are either peculiar to the birds, or altogether 

 anomalous. But they show, at least, that the great Author of nature is 

 the lord and not the slave of his own laws, and is at all times capable of 

 producing definite effects by a diversity of means. Thus the didus soli- 

 tarius^ or solitary dodo, in general esteemed almost as stupid a bird as 

 the ostrich, divides the labour of incubation with his female, and alter- 

 nately sits upon the eggs during her absence. The hen of this tribe has 

 a protuberance on each side of the breast, like the teat of quadrupeds. 

 When the young of the turtle dove are hatched, and capable of receiving 

 nutriment from the crop of the mother, the male parent experiences an 

 equal change and enlargement in this organ, secretes the same nutritive 

 material, and equally contributes to the support of its nestlings. 



I have already observed that insects in general deposite their eggs in 

 places admirably suited to the future wants of the nascent larves, and then 

 for ever take leave of their embryo progeny : but the forficula awncwZ«na, 

 or common earwig, broods over her young like a hen, and only quits them 

 at night, which is the usual period in which this genus flies in pursuit of 

 food or recreation. 



Among migrating birds it is not very uncommon for the males alone to 

 dare the dangers of a distant voyage, and to leave the females behind 

 them ; but in the fringilla CcBlebs, or chaffinch, we find this rule com- 

 pletely inverted ; for the female chaffinches of Sweden quit their males 

 and migrate to Holland towards the winter, and duly return to them in 

 the spring ; while many of the males indulge in a profound sleep during 

 the greater period of their absence. 



Most vegetables indulge in a winter-sleep of the same kind ; but there 

 are some that sleep still longer. Thus the tuberose root of the ferraria 

 Ferrariola, an ornamental herbaceous plant of the Cape of Good Hope. 



