The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-08
INSTINCT VS.. INTELLECT.

1t has been but few years since
mankind was willing to admit that
animals were endowed with reason
The intelligent and learned, howev.
er. do admit that some animals not
only have minds, but that they rea'
son also. What may be said, may
be the means of inducing many stu,
dents to take up the study Unnatural
history. Such a study will open to
their minds a new universe of beau
ty. interest and profit This book o.
nature is open to all creatures man
has not the monopoly of this study
The lower animals read it and seem
to understand it much better, in
seme instances than the biped man
No barometer can determine the
temperature of the seasons as unerr-
ingly as the wild goose, and there Is
no compass or needle that can dlreci
the course of pigeon while 1t navi-
gates the air equal to its own In
stinct. and in the hydraulics OF ma
ture the beaver stands the foremost
of all creatures. Instinct will no
longer answer as a name for the In
telligence of animals. What shall
that quality of mind be called which
enables young pigeon, after having
been taken in coop 400 miles from
the cote in which it was hatched,
and tossed in the air, to strike bee
line direct for home? A dog was
once taken 157 miles from Cincinna-
ii In a railroad car. and set at liber.
ty. In less than three days he had
travelled the whole distance, and ar
rived safely back at his master s
house.
There is a species of fishhawk in
our Northern lakes which seems to
have most remarkable eyes, micro
scopic as well as telescope. You
NAV often see this fellow early in the
morning lowering over the placid
surface of some lonely lake, when he
will dart off, leave the water and
take up his position upon the bare
limb of blighted tree, and watch
the track over which he flew. Pres
emily Won will see him leave perch
and, with the accuracy and velocity
of an arrow. strike the bosom of the
lake. grasp a fish and bear 1t to his
perch. Nature has furnished this
bird with the bait to become a sac
cessful fisherman. He has in his
throat or esophagus small sack IN
which he secretes a kind of oil. This
he drops upon the surface of the wa
ter: the fish are attracted to 1t, and
at once there is great commotion
in the water. The hawk, seeing
this, takes advantage Of the situation
and at once pounces upon his
prey.
Among the instances of a superior
sense in the kingdom of the lower
animals is the turkey buzzard. Take
your position upon the prairie just
at daybreak, where YOU can see in
all directions for ten or fifteen miles,
and often further. Presently you
will discern what seems to be small
black specks, but in the course OF
half an hour these specks viii be
circling high in air over the spot
where some dead brute is lying.
When you first saw the birds they
were miles away. Now, the ques-
ton is, do the birds see the animal,
or smell it, or both? Certainly there
is no human biped that can either
see or smell any object at so great a
distance, especially if the dead ami
NAL is on the ground, and obscured.
If the birds have eyes that have the
powers of the telescope then the
problem is solved if, however, the
bird detects the location of the
animal by the sense of smell, We can
hardly conceive OF olfactory nerves
of such delicacy,
The hearing of many animals is
altogether superior to that of man.
As is well known to all observers OF
nature, the cervical genus are partic-
ularly gifted in this way. The deer,
the moose, the caribou, antelope and
gemsbok have hearing SO acute that
ii the wind be favorable they can
hear the footsteps of the hunter for
miles.
While we are quite sure of our po-
sition regarding the instinct, mind
and reason of some animals. we are
not certain that plants have mind
and reason, to which instinct is SC
closely allied but that they have
what the world calls instinct there
can be no question. There is a spe-
cial aquatic plant, said to grow in
the Island of Madagascar, which il
planted on the north side of a wal
or barrier. and there is stream OIL
pool on the opposite side within
reachable distance, the plant will al
once bend its steps toward the water
travel persistently over and up The
wall. down the other side, and never
rest until it gets to the water. There
II stops.
Some readers have heard of the
Venus ay-trap of the Southern
States. Some of its leaves are mad,
specially for fiy-catching. This plant
secretes a sweet fluid at the proper
season to attract flies and other in
sects. When hey light upon thi,
resinous fluid they become entan
gied, and in their struggles the traI
closes upon them and their doom j,
sealed. They are then absorbed
utilized by the plant, forming, a.
Professor Gray thinks, food for the
plant.
Another of these savage carniver
Gus plants is called the Sun-dew.
which grows in our marshes. /
SsrnIshes Its leaves with rubies ans
tips every point with beautiful di
anond. The beams Of the mornin;
sun kiss it as the courtier presses hi
lips to the ieweled hand of his lady
love. All THE artistic display
made TO tempt the victim to certain
desth. Around the brilliant rubie
and diamonds there is a oolorles
glue. The moment the feet or wing
of any creeping thing touch thi
substance the fate is death. Thei
vain struggles only bind them NOR
firmly. The leaf nov closes upor
them and the prickly points pierc