Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-24
Within certain limits the lower animals

Within certain limits the lower animals
are much more slzillful in supplying their
wants than men. Insects, birds, fishes,
reptiles, mamr' qls-one really does not
know which department of the natural
world exhibits the most skill in supply
ing its wants. Let me instance the case
of trap-door spiders. I refer to their
doings, because they are less familiar
than those of ants and bees and other
creatures which l might mention. The
trap-door spider lives in burrow which
he makes IN the ground where the grass
grows, generally in sloping bank; he
covers the entrance to his burrow with
trap-door, which works upon hinge,
and which so nearly resembles the sur
rounding grass that only careful OBJ
server can detect it. This, however, is
not oil if an enemy finds the door and
opens it, and enters the spiders castle
he may very easily fancy that there is
no one ut home, for in the sides OF the
burrow, which is lined with a soft silky
substance, there are other trap.doors
communicating with branches Of the
burrow, and covering these branches so
crafty that they may easily be passed
by unnoticed. Nay, if the enemy should
be clever enough to find his way into
one of these branches, he may still find
no one at home, the owner OF the castle
being perhaps in branch OF this branch
OF the burrow, concealed by another
trap-door. Architecture of this kind
shuts the mouth Of any one who should
say that the inferior members Of crea-
ton do not know how to adapt means to
ends. Nor can it be said that the power
Of adoption does not go to some extent
beyond the wonders Of instinct.
The old story Of the bees who de-
stroyed an intruding mouse with their
stings. and then covered it over with
wax because they could not get rid OF
the body, feared the results Of its con-
hnuance in the hive, is only one of a
number which go to prove that in the
lower world OF living things there is un-
questionably power of adaptation TO
unforeseen circumstances, q reasoning
out of results and acting accordingly,
which cannot possibly he set down to
the credit of instinct properly SO called
But the important point to be observed
is this, the infinite superiority of the
animals operations when it does not
reason, and the infinite iuferiority of its
operations 10 those of man when it does.
1t has been said that bird will carry an
oyster in the air and let it drop upon a
rock in order to break the shell and get Of
the treasure within simple operation
this, and yet we stand well-nigh aghast
at the birds prodigious superiority above
all that we had expected, and We doubt
whether such wonderful feat can be
positively substantiated. / will not say
that there may not be IN insects and birds
and mammals the germ Of that faculty
which invented the steam engine but
certainly it seems almost impossible to
contain in one description or definition
two faculties 80 diverse in tho import
ance Of the results. Adaptation Of
means to ends is not in the ease of man
something subsidiary, and exhibiting it.
self now and then in exceptional clrcum-
stances, but it Is the law Of his being.
The merest savage contrives machines to
catch his prey; he makes his stone i'm
plements ill he sees his way to bronze
and iron he constructs his boat, or floats
on his log OF timber; he may be and
doubtless Is rude and elementary, but
he is the genuine ancestor OF James
Watt aud George Stephenson. = The
Bishop Of Cdrtislc.