INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES. 
161 
Chap. Y. 
the lower animals, namely, through the principle 
of imitation, together with reason and experience. 
Apes are much given to imitation, as are the lowest 
savages ; and the simple fact previously referred to, 
that after a time no animal can be caught in the same 
place by the same sort of trap, shews that animals learn 
by experience, and imitate each others’ caution. Now, 
if some one man in a tribe, more sagacious than the 
others, invented a new snare or weapon, or other means 
of attack or defence, the plainest self-interest, without 
the assistance of much reasoning power, w 7 ould prompt 
the other members to imitate him ; and all would thus 
profit. The habitual practice of each new art must 
likewise in some slight degree strengthen the intellect. 
If the new invention were an important one, the tribe 
would increase in number, spread, and supplant other 
tribes. In a tribe thus rendered more numerous there 
would always be a rather better chance of the birth of 
other superior and inventive members. If such men 
left children to inherit their mental superiority, the 
chance of the birth of still more ingenious members 
would be somewhat better, and in a very small tribe 
decidedly better. Even if they left no children, the 
tribe would still include their blood-relations ; and it has 
been ascertained by agriculturists 4 that by preserving 
and breeding from the family of an animal, which 
when slaughtered was found to be valuable, the desired 
character has been obtained. 
Turning now to the social and moral faculties. In 
order that primeval men, or the ape-like progenitors 
of man, should have become social, they must have 
4 I have given instances in my ‘Variation of Animals under Domes, 
tication,’ vol. ii. p. 196. 
VOL. I. 
M 
