things"; he simply ignored them in his search after the truth as it is in nature, and some of his inductions came near the generalisation of facts as now accepted after more than five hundred years of observation, research, and even elaborate experimentation. For instance, we have had many books, brochures, magazine articles, &c., devoted to the subject of "animal instinct v. reason," and I would mention such standard works as 'Animal Behaviour' and 'Habit and Instinct,' by Principal Lloyd Morgan. It is now generally admitted that there is no definite dividing line between what is called "animal instinct" and human reason, however highly developed and widely contrasted may be the manifestations of the latter. Here is a passage from Erasmus's colloquy on "Amicitia" (Friendship), between Ephorinne and John (Erasmus himself), in which he endows a Monkey with quite superior reasoning (contrivance after reflection) powers. The spelling is given as in the 1725 edition of Bailey:—
Clever Tactics of A Monkey.
Joh.—That I may not be altogether Shot-free in this Entertainment, I'll tell you what I saw with my own Eyes, in the house of that famous Englishman Sir Thomas More: He kept in his House a large Monkey, who, that he might the sooner get well of a Wound he had received, was suffer'd to go loose. At the End of the Garden there were Rabbets kept in Hutches, and a Weesel used to watch them very narrowly. The Monkey sitting aloof off, quietly, as tho' unconcern'd, observ'd all his Motions, till he saw the Rabbets were in no Danger from him. But perceving the Weesel had loosened a Board in the back Part of the Hutch, and that now they were in Danger to be attack'd in the Rear, and so be made a Prey to their Enemy, the Ape runs, jumps up on the Plank, and put it into its former Place, with as much Dexterity as any Man could have done. From whence 'tis plain that Apes are great Lovers of this Animal. So the Coneys, not knowing their own Danger, that used to kiss their Enemy through the Grate, were preserved by the Monkey.
About Adders: Fact or Fable?
Dr. Leighton has taught us a great deal about Adders, &c., in his 'British Serpents,' and obscure points are being cleared up in the columns of 'The Field Naturalist's Quarterly,' which only shows that we do not yet know everything about the habits
