It would be unnecessary to enter here into any details on the obvious correlativeness of the dominant instincts of animals to the mode of life most congenial to their constitution, to remark on the mutual relations of habit and structure, and the exquisite adaptation of structure to locality. Hence, the natural habits of species of necessity bear reference to their indigenous haunts, as manifestly as their structural conformation. The uniformity of all these habits and propensities, in creatures of the same species, tends rather to intimate that in neither case are they the result of reasoning. But herein we have an additional principle involved, which will require a separate consideration. Proceed we, then, to examine into the presumed sagacity of those provident creatures, as the ant and harvest mouse, that habitually lay up a store for future need, and even provide against all possible injury from germination, by carefully nibbling out the corcule from each grain.
All instincts are, indeed, equally wonderful.
But it would certainly be even more extraordinary, if every member of these species were to be alike induced to pursue the same course by a process of reasoning. The following anecdotes will suffice to probe the intellect of these animals. I have a tame squirrel, which, though regularly fed all its life from day to day, nevertheless displays the intuitive habit of its race, in always hoarding the superfluities of its food. Now, in its mode of effecting this, a superficial observer might fancy that he discerned a fair share of intelligence. Moreover, it never fails to remember the spot, and will occasionally, when not wishing for food, examine the place to ascertain whether it be safe.