just the same way in traversing for the first time a locality through
which they will have to return. And yet, as has already been stated,
these insects have no true brains.
Considerably removed from insects are the vermes, or worms. Man, in his
overweening opinion of self, would hardly credit the earth-worm with
the possession of any mental qualities; yet it has been shown that it
can reason, and can communicate after its fashion with its fellows.
It is now my intention to prove that it has the power of memory. Has
the reader ever seen an earth-worm trying to carry into its burrow a
pair of pine-needles joined at their bases? It knows just where to
seize the pair. This it determines by feeling, or moving its head along
the needles, the sense of touch being very acute in this portion of
its body. Hardly ever is a mistake made by seizing the free or apical
extremities. Once it has discovered where to act, this position is
fixed in memory, and the animal exercises the latter power in dealing
with objects of the kind in all subsequent operations.
Almost any living being can by means of the faculty of memory be taught
by man. But were it absent, no teaching would be of the slightest
avail. In most cases where an animal is ferocious, I firmly believe
that fear, and not ill-temper, is the real cause of its conduct. Let
a little kindness be shown, and the animal will never forget it.
Such acts, repeatedly performed, assure it that your intentions are
well-meant, and it soon learns to recognize in you a friend. The
memory of your goodness will often be recollected after long years of
separation, and the most joyous feelings be manifested at the sight
of your presence upon returning home. Everyone who has had personal
experience of domesticated animals must have remarked the great
strength and endurance of their powers of memory. The dog, the cat, the
horse and the ass afford so many familiar anecdotes in point, that I
shall be obliged to pass them over and restrict my illustrations to a
few animals about which little has been said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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