New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-10

is impossble TO account for the similarity of pattern
between The hand of a man and monkey, or for the
foot of the horse the ppeT OF the SEAL or the wing OF
the bat Itdoes not help the matter to say that they
have all been formed on the same ideal plan. Nor
can any explanation but that ola common progentor
account for the wonderful fact that the embryo OF
man. dog a seal, a bat at first hardly be dis
tnguished from each other. The presence of rudi-
mentary organs only becomes intelligibc when we
suppose that a former progentor possessed the pars
in question in perfect state and that under changed
habits Of life they were greatly reduced. we are
tbus enabled 10 see how man. and all
animals have been constructed on the same generai
model, why they pass through the same early stages
of development, and why they retain certain rldi-
ments in common. Hence, argues ST. Darwin we
are bound TO admit their community of descent 10
take any other view is to admit that our own struc-
ture and that of all the animals around us, Is mere
illusion to lead the Judgment astray
The questions suggested by a comparison between
the mental faculties of man and the lower aii'H'i
| present more serious difficulties on the theory VI
Natural Selection than those involved in Their pSS
! zeal differences and rescmblances. Even MI war
lace one of the ablest supporters Of the doctrine
who was led to its adoption by his own lnuepehu-
ent personal researches as naturalist heSi'a'eS "
| apply it to the explanation of the phenomenal VI
mind at least to the extent TO which II Is cIIeu ny
Mr. Darwin. But the latter makes no exception 10
the suiiciency of the principle HIS Teasohngs con-
corning It's aDplication to the mental powers are
marked by singular ingenuity, and doubtless form
the most significant portions of the present volume,
altboueb there are few thinkers but will pause
before admitting their validity. lie takes the posi-
ton that there is no fundamental difference between
man and the higher mammals in their mental facu-
ties. As man possesses the same senses with the
lower animals his fundamental intuitions must he
the same He has also some instincts in common
with them, that Of scfpIeservatiOn, sexual love,
the love of the mother for her newborn child ana
80 forth. But man has perhaps fewer instincts than
those possessed by the animals which come next to
him in the series. The lower animals, like man,
evidently feel pleasure and pain, happiness and
misery. There is no happier sight than that
of young animals such as puppies, kittens,
lambs, and the Ike when playing together,
ike our own children. The lower animals are eX-
cited by the emotions ourselves. Terror for
example acts in the same manner on them Us on us,
causing the muscles to tremble, the heart TO palpl-
tate the sphincters to be relaxed and the hair to
stand on end. Suspicion, the offspring OF fear Is
emnently characteristic of most wild animals.
Every one knows how liable animals are to furious
rage, and how plainly they show it. The love Of
dog for lis master is notorious. Animals not only
love- but have the desire to be loved They feel
emulation and love appreciation or praise.
dog cg1ying basket for his master exhibits high
degree of pride The dog also feels shame, distinct
from fear and something very like mOdesty when
begging often for food. Several Observers have
stated that monkeys certainly dislike being laughed
at; and they sometimes invent imaginary oilenses.
balloon in the Geological Gardens always got into
rage when his keeper took ont a letter or book and
read it aloud to him; and his rage was so
violent on one occasion which Mr.. Darwin
witnessed himself that he bit his own leg
till the blood flowed. Animals enjoy excite
mont and suffer from eDnui, as may be seen with
dogs and monkeys. They feel wonder and curiosity.
" Brehm gives a curious account of the instructive
dread which his monkeys exhibited toward snakes;
but their curiosity was so great that they could not
desist from occasionally satatng their horror in
most human fashion, by lifting up the lid Of the box
! in which the snakes were kept. was so much sur
| prised at his account that | tool, stuffed and
| coiled-up snake into the monkey-house at the
| Geological Gardens and the excitement thus caused
was one Of the most curious spectaclos which ever
! brhcld Three species Of Cac0pithecus were the
most alarmed; th.v dashed about their cages and
uttered sharp sgnIl-crics Of danger, which were I'M
| deIstood by the othermOnkeys. AfewyOung monkeys
and one old hnUbis baboon alone took no notice of
the snake. then placed the stuffed specimen on
the ground in one of the larger compartments. After
| "a time all the monkeys collected round il in a large
circle and staring inteutly, presented a most ludi
| cIous appearance. They became extremely neryOus
| So that when wooden ball with which they were
! familiar a. q pay thing, was accidentally moved III
the straw, under which it partly hidden, they
all instantly started away. These monkeys behaved
very differently when a dead fish, mouse, and some
otheruey objects, were placed in their cages; for
oil 4l,..rr pifa,
handled and examined them. then placed a live
snake in paper bag with the mouth loosely closed,
in one of the larger compartments. One OF the mon
keys Immediately approached, cautiously opened the
bag a little peapcd in, and instantly dashed away.
Then / witnessed what Brchm has described, for
monkey after monkey with head raised high and
turned on one side. could not resist taking moment
arg peeps into the upright bag, at the dreadful object
living quiet ut the bottom IL would almost appcaras
if monkeys had some notion Of geological aiinitics,
for those kept by Brehm exhibited strange, though
mistaken. instructive dread of innocent lizards and
frogs. An orang, also las been known to be much
alarmed at the first sight Of a turtle"
Many animals have tlo power Of imitation; all
have the faculty Of attention. They have excellent
memories for persons and places. Nor are they des-
titute Of imagination, q of Che reasoning faculty to
a certain extent Many facts have been recorded in
various works showing Chat animals possess some
degree Of reason. / viii here give only two or
three instances, authenticated by Renggcr, and
latiug 10 American monkeys, which stand low in
their order. He states that when he first gave eggs
to his monkeys, they smashed them and thus lost
much Of their contents; aftcrTard they gently hit
one end against some hard body, and picked OIL the
bits Of shell with thcr fingers. After cutting them
selves only once with any sharp tool they would not
touch it again, would handle il with the greatest
care. Lamps OF sugarwere often given them wrapped
| mp IN paper; and Rengger sometimes put a live
wasp IN the paper 30 that in hastily Infoldinr IL