120 
JOUENAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
INSTINCT AND KEASON. 
ABSTRACT OF DR. C. A. HINGSTOn's PAPER. 
(Read November 24th, 1870.) 
The lecturer commenced by showing the great obstacles which the 
love of the marvellous placed in the way of ascertaining the truth 
of the many stories with regard to the instincts of animals. He 
described the instincts of Ants, as exhibited in the construction of 
their dwellings, and in the capture and possession of slaves. The 
cell-making instincts of Bees, and the peculiar instinct of the 
Cuckoo in laying her eggs in the nests of other birds, were also 
discussed. A comparison of these instinctive actions showed that 
in the first place no experience or education was required for their 
performance, the first attempt of the new-born animal being as 
perfect and complete as that of any of its forefathers ; secondly, 
that the same species of animal always perform instinctive actions 
nearly if not exactly in the same manner in every quarter of the 
globe, and no improvement or alteration takes place from one 
generation to another; thirdly, that instinctive actions are still 
performed, even if the circumstances requiring them are completely 
altered. A beaver will still build a dam, even if its confinement in 
a pond renders the dyke of no service. 
The character of the nervous system was then considered, in 
order to ascertain that form of it which was most conducive to the 
exhibition of instinct. It appeared that without the presence of a 
nervous system instinct was unable to manifest itself, and that 
those animals, such as insects, which possessed the most highly- 
developed nervous system, without true brains, were almost solely 
governed by instinct. 
Pari passu with the developments of the true brain instinct 
releases its hold, until, on ascending to man, we find its manifes- 
tations so obscured that its presence becomes almost doubtful. 
The views that are held by some metaphysicians, that instincts 
are merely acquired habits hereditarily transmitted, were then dis- 
cussed and illustrated ; and it was determined, that acquired habits 
so transmitted were in every case variations of instinct. Just as 
