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infinitely below man’s, of course, and incapable of being educated up to any 
proximity to human intelligence ; but still it is a very different thing from 
instinct. Pure instinct is in its way as perfect as the highest powers of 
man’s intelligence. Indeed, the cell of the bee and the web of the spider, so 
constructed as to be adapted for the weather of several days in advance, are 
infinitely more perfect than anything produced by human reason: they are 
perfect in themselves and incapable of improvement. But beyond this 
instinct, which man shares with animals, though in a much less degree, they 
have some amount of intelligence, not of the same high quality as man’s. 
But the manifestation of this intelligence is not found increasing from the 
lower grades of animals up to the higher in proportion to their physical deve- 
lopment : the fact is rather the reverse of this. We do not go to baboons or 
apes for the highest degree of animal intelligence. We find probably the 
highest degree of intelligence in vertebrate animals in the dog. In the 
same way the brains and the intelligence of the elephantine creatures are 
very small indeed in proportion to the size of their bodies. But if we want 
to beat the intelligence of the dog we have to go to the invertebrate creation, 
and we find it in the ant and the bee, and in many of the insect tribes, 
developed to its highest extent. There is the agricultural ant, for instance, 
which cleanses the land of weeds, sows the seed, reaps it when ripe, stores it 
up for use, and when it begins to sprout from moisture, it brings it out into the 
sun, dries it, and carefully rejects the spoilt grain not worth drying. These 
acts indicate so much of intelligent power that we must admit the existence 
of something more than instinct in the case. 
Captain Fishbourne. — I hold that that is a case of instinct. A man in 
such a case would not be able to discover that the seed had lost its ger- 
minating principle. The insect does discover it, but by instinct, not by 
reason. 
The Chairman. — I do not think you can carry it so far as that. 
Professor MacDonald. — Stupid as men are, they are able to perceive 
when the grain is spoilt. 
The Chairman. — I think this shows that the subject is by no means 
exhausted, and it would be interesting to renew it at some future time. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
