On instinct / [Philip Bury Duncan].

  • Philip Bury Duncan
Date:
1820?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On instinct / [Philip Bury Duncan]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “ that is bestowed on them. But from what is “ known it appears that the superior orders of “ quadrupeds, and especially those that associate “ with man, are the most sagacious. Birds also u enjoy this privilege very highly, when the pro- “ tection of their young is concerned. Mr. Galton, “ in his very entertaining work on birds, remarks, u that blackbirds generally build low in bushes, or “ in trees that are not very high ; and he mentions “ an instance of a bird of this species, after having “ built its nest twice near the bottom of a hedge, “ and both hatches of its young falling a prey to “ cats, the third time she placed it in an apple- u tree, eight feet from the ground. To what can u this be attributed, but to the effects of experience “ and design ? Mere instinct teaches finches to u build in green hedges, to cover their habitation “ with green moss; the swallow or martin, that “ builds against rocks or houses, to cover theirs “ with clay; and the lark, to collect straw for the u same purpose, as approaching to the colour of “ stubble, amongst which she builds. But should <c either of these birds change the colours of the “ material of their nests on account of a different “ situation, I should attribute that alteration to an “ higher principle, by varying the mode of com- u pliance with the instincts of nature. The devia- “ tion from the usual course would mark a choice, “ and therefore be superior to the natural impulse “ that guides the parent bird to build the nest after u a peculiar manner.” I have said nothing of the instincts of fishes, not the least curious probably, though the least known. The instinct of the salmon tribe, in
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