The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-10-04
INSTINCT IN ,Nst CTS.
4 theory Advanced by NJ. a. Lstour Re-
gsrdtnx Their fntefligsnce.

According TO the theory that instinct
Is inherited experience, 1t Is difncult
10 see why insects that live only
few weeks or months should have any
instincts at ALL since the time in which
they may accumulate experience Is so
limited. But Mr.. Edmond Terrier. an
advocate of this theory, shows us that
we may reconcile II with these facts by
supposlng that the original experiences,
OF which the instinct of insects is the
successor by hereditary transmission,
was acquired by their ancestors ages
ago, when they lived longer and had
time TO learn. OF this Ingenious theory,
NJ. a. Latour says in La Nature:
The progress made recently in the
study OF the nervous system has led NJ.
Edmond Perrier to new theory OF
instinct, regarding which philosophers
will probably be somewhat skeptlcal,
but of which geological consequence
deserves TO be known for its inge-
nuity.
THE author is endeavoring to ex-
plain, by means OF experience and her
edity alone. how insects. whose adult
life lasts only few weeks, or even
few days, and who know nothing of
their parentage. have the time and the
ability TO acquire their wonderful in
stincts. Evidently there is no possi-
bility here OF educati tion nor of customs;
IL would seem as n the manifestation
Of Instinct in the individual were quite
spontaneous. But NJ. Perfier notes
that the existence Of the seasons, as we
know them. appears TO be Of very re-
cent geological origin. Biologists in
general agree that temperature and
climate were once, for very long
periods, absolutely uniform in all parts
Of the earth and throughout the whole
year.
This is explained by the fact that
the sun was then much larger, the in
equalities of the seasons having been
finally brought about. little by little,
by its gradual condensation. Now in
sects existed at time when this con-
densation had not yet taken place. In
sects were remarkably abundant on
the banks Of the carboniferous lakes
or lagoons. and the interesting discov-
cries of Messrs. Fayol and Charles
Brongniart at Commentry. have shown
how great was their variety and how
huge their size at that time.
Now, since there were then no sea-
sons-the cause that now brings about
the early death OF insects, SO soon after
their eproduction-thcse carboniferous
Insects must have lived as long as any
other creatures; they must have been
able, like our higher animals, to ac-
quire experience and transmit ii to
their offspring. thus gaining an ac-
quired and cultivated intelligence in
the same measure as other living be-
ings.
This was then transmitted by hered-
ity. when the seasons began to appear,
In the tertiary epoch. when by the ap-
pearance of cold insect life was re-
duced to a brief season. when expert
ence and parental education could no
longer play their part. the intelligence
formerly acquired and transmitted
from generation TO generation must,
according to NJ. PerTier's theory, have
been changed into immutabIe instinct;
that is TO say, 1t must have been fixed
at determinate point without power
to progress further. Our present in
sects are thus reproducing indefinitely
the faculties and cerebral development
of the insects of the secondary epoch
of geological time. Digest.