245 
We may assume, for the sake of argument, that some 
times an important and useful modification of an instinctive 
action takes place unintelligently. The animal happens 
by accident to do what is useful to it. In that case, such 
a fortunate fluke could not be developed by the agency 
of Natural Selection in the presence of an intelligent race. 
For the advantage would be at once perceived, and the 
new method would be at once adopted. It would be 
taught to others or imitated by others and inherited. In 
the following case, it may very well be believed that the 
escape of some of the birds arose from a happy acci 
dent ; but the experience thus gained was evidently 
reproduced in the race. 
“ About twelve years ago, I was residing on the coast of 
Co. Antrim, at the time the telegraph wires were set up along 
that charming road which skirts the sea for twenty-five miles be 
tween Larne and Cushendall. During the winter months large 
flocks of starlings always migrated over from Scotland, arriving in 
the early morning. The first winter after the wires were stretched 
along the coast I frequently found numbers of starlings lying dead or 
wounded on the roadside, they having evidently in their flight in 
the dusky morn struck against the telegraph wires—not blown 
against them, as these accidents often occurred when there was 
but little wind. Strange to say, that throughout the following and 
succeeding winters hardly a death occurred among the starlings on 
their arrival.”—{Nature, vol. xxp. 267.) 
There is no such thing as the lapsing of intelligence, so 
far as the general intelligence of an intelligent animal is 
concerned. Intelligence lapses, if at all, from the action 
which has become automatic ; and it is natural to assume 
that what is in a lapsing condition will ultimately become 
altogether lapsed. But, as it seems to me, it would be 
more in accordance with the facts of the case to speak of 
the intelligence having become latent rather than lapsed. 
Let us take the case of the old soldier. If the order to 
stand at attention had been followed by the command,