In the case of the trotter inheritance undoubtedly has also been a factor, but inheritance based on selection of what the race-track has shown to be the speediest individual, not inheritance of the effects of training. In other words, horses which have shown the capacity for being trained to the highest degree of speed have naturally been selected as sires and dams and so through selection generation after generation a speedier strain has gradually been established. =Instincts.--=When we turn to the realm of mental traits, particularly of instincts, we meet with a whole host of activities which are frequently pointed to by transmissionists as examples of inherited acquirements. Thus according to them, habits at first acquired through special effort ultimately become instinctive, or according to some, instinct is "lapsed intelligence." Instances often cited are the pointing of the bird-dog, the extraordinary crop-inflation of the pouter-pigeon, or the tumbling of the tumbler pigeon. We can not stop to discuss these cases beyond pointing out as many others have done that practically all dogs have more or less of an impulse to halt suddenly, crouch slightly and lift up one fore-foot when they scent danger or prey, that all pigeons pout more or less, and that practically all show more or less instincts of tumbling when pursued by a hawk. Thus in all of these cases the fundamental germinal tendency is already at hand for the fancier to base his choice on and thus through selection build up the type desired. Just as in the fan-tailed pigeon, by repeatedly selecting for breeding purposes individuals which showed an unusual number of tail-feathers he has built up a type with an upright, fan-like tail having many more feathers than the twelve found in the tail of the ordinary pigeon, so by similar procedure in the case of other forms he has markedly enhanced certain features. The idea of instincts being "lapsed intelligence" is so clearly and concisely criticized in an article by the late Professor Whitman[4] that I can not do better than quote an excerpt. His views to the contrary are as follows: