A EIRD'S INSTINCT.
A queer example of the perfection of instinct in one direction and its deficiency in another is given by the behaviour of a certain thrush in Oidord. A young bird, saved as a fledgling, was kept in captivity till it seemed able to look after itself. On an early journey after food when released, it seized an acorn and attempted to break it on a stone. Since the youngster was quite without experience of the actions of other thrushes we must infer that the itch to hammer on a stone is one of those blind promptings that surge up without inter- vention of sense or reason. On the other hand thrushes do not at acorns ; and in regard to the nature of their food the instinct, so we may infer, only suggests that brown hard- looking objects are good to eat, if the outside is first cracked. The difference between brown, hard-looking things, such as stones, acorns, or snails, has to be discovered by reason and experience.
Previous page
