Edward Jesse

“ When he thinks the danger is over, he unrolls himself by degrees and looks about, and if all appears safe, he runs to a secure retreat. The common wood-louse will do the same. But what shall I call that instinct which leads a young wasp, within an hour after it has left its cell, to sally forth and collect that curious paper, for it is nothing else, with which they either form their cells, or make that shell-like covering for their nest, which must add so much to the warmth so necessary for the well-being of the infant grubs? ”

“ Instead of viewing the objects in it, the celebrated Baron Humboldt inquired his way to Herne’s Oak. This was the first object of his attention and curiosity, and probably of his veneration. The splendour of the castle, its pictures, the noble scenery which is to be seen from it, and the many historical facts connected with it, were objects of inferior interest compared with the shattered trunk of an oak, “dry and dead,” yet rich with recollections of the genius of our immortal Shakespeare. ”

“ But what shall we call the instinct of the elephant, which, when a child, unable to walk, has been placed under its care, has allowed it to crawl as far as the extent of the animal’s chain, and then gently lifted it up with its trunk, and replaced it in safety? It is evidently an extraordinary effect both of care and intelligence, and is also a proof of that noble animal’s gentle nature. Again, there is the powerful instinct of self-preservation. ”

“ When thus subdued and no longer able to roam undisturbed amongst the beauteous forests of Ceylon, or to ascend those sunny hills covered with gorgeous flowers and the brushwood on which he delights to browse; instead of this, the poor brute utters choking cries, while the tears trickle down his cheeks, and his captivity is from thenceforward secure. His ropes are slackened, and he is marched down to a river between two tame elephants, to whom he is fastened, to drink and bathe, the tame ones having the greatest control over him. ”

“ The swan fights with his wing, and gives so violent a stroke with the pinion of it, that it has been known to break a man’s leg. By what power of nature a small engine, formed only of the muscles of a bird’s wing, can exert a force, which one should only expect from a steel spring, cannot easily, perhaps, be explained. ”

“ A heron is now and then disturbed from its solitary watchings for a stray eel or frog, and takes its silent flight to some other locality. The soft and pleasing song of the willow-wren is heard in the small aits or islands as we pass along the river, while the lark carols sweetly in the upper regions of the sky. ”

“ One is the migratory instinct, which leads birds, animals, and even insects to leave one locality for a far distant one. For instance, the whole tribe of swallows, and about forty other sorts of little tender birds, which have amused us with their songs during the summer months, leave this country in the autumn for more genial climates. In the vast prairies of North America, large herds of buffaloes quit one locality, impelled by a strong migratory instinct, for one, perhaps, many hundred miles distant, and neither rivers nor swamps stop them in their progress. ”

“ The stroke of a swan’s pinion, or of a cock’s heel, is something very different. It is exerted by a sort of mechanical trick, or operation, if I may so express myself. The animal exerts it with a spring, and only in the action of offence. Some power indeed one might expect from a swan’s wing, but the force of a cock’s heel is astonishing. ”

“ While Greek ruins excite our attention as well as admiration, few people are aware of the rich works of art which have been lately deposited in the British Museum, and which have not yet been exhibited to the public. We allude to those Greek marbles, a portion of a building which has been called—and, from what now remains of it, probably most justly—one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the famous Mausoleum erected by Queen Artemisia to the memory of her husband, Mausolus, King of Caria, or rather of Halicarnassus. ”

“ Even the butterflies in South America have been known to quit the woods and prairies of that country, in myriads, and to fly over vast seas in search of fresh flowers and plants, having exhausted those in the country they have left. ”

“ To pass on to the instincts of bees. Every keeper of bees knows that these insects form three sorts or sizes of cells, one for workers, the two others for drones and females. Now the queen bee, in laying her eggs, has the wonderful instinct of distinguishing the three different kinds of cells, never putting a royal or a drone egg into the cells destined for the reception of the working bees. ”

“ Then there is the extraordinary instinct which leads one animal to benefit itself by the operations of another. For instance, there is the well-known fact of a colony of ants making slaves of other ants to assist them in their work, thus holding them in subjection. Then the cuckoo lays her eggs in the nests of other birds, in order that her young may be brought up by them. The man-of-war’s bird feeds upon fish ”

“ Amongst the several luminous insects of this country, the Glow-worm is undoubtedly the most interesting. Who that has walked along shady lanes, and in woodland scenery, where these insects abound, on a calm, warm summer’s evening, but has been delighted with the effulgence of these creatures, sparkling like little stars of earth, and glowing like night-tapers with beauty? ”

“ It is certain that some dogs have hereditary instincts. I have seen a young deer-hound the first time it has been slipped at a deer in Richmond Park, seize the animal by the ear, or by the skin of the forehead, thus preventing the dog from being hurt by the antlers of the animal, and holding it till the keepers came up and secured it. This instinct is peculiar to this breed of deer-hounds. ”

“ An elephant passed a tailor every day, who was at work in his small shop by the roadside, and this man was in the habit of giving the animal something to eat. One day, however, when the elephant put out his proboscis to receive his accustomed donation, the tailor pricked it with his needle. The animal took no notice of it at the time, but on his return he collected a quantity of filthy water in his trunk, and deluged the unfortunate tailor with it. ”

“ Instinct leads it to discharge the honey from its stomach into some cell prepared for the purpose, and to scrape off the farina from its thighs into another cell, and then trample it down as a deposit to be used as food for the infant grubs.
Ants have a peculiar instinct, indeed a very curious one. On the tender shoots of a poplar tree a number of little green insects called aphes may often be seen clustered together. ”

“ A tame elephant will then assist in fastening ropes round the legs of the wild ones; will push them towards the trees round which the ropes are to be wound in order to secure the victim. When this has been done, and he becomes aware of his captivity, the poor animal evinces the greatest rage, and struggles violently to free himself, but ineffectually, while the tame elephant shows much satisfaction at what has taken place. ”

“ I must also mention the instinct of commisseration in some animals. It is a well-known fact, that when a sheep has produced two lambs, and has died in bringing them forth, other ewes of the flock have suckled and brought up the helpless young ones. I have seen sparrows feed young canary birds, which have been placed for the first time outside of a window, when they have cried for the food their parents had been in the habit of supplying them with. ”

“ Woodpeckers will carefully remove the bits of wood which they break off a tree in making a hole in it for their nest—evidently to prevent persons discovering their abode. For the same reason many birds carefully remove the excrements of their young from the neighbourhood of the nest.
There is in South America a very large species of spider which in a similar way throws out strong threads from one tree to another, each of them many feet apart. ”

“ An elephant has been called, and with truth, a half-reasoning animal, and dogs, who associate so much with man, have a just right to the same appellation. For instance, a dog will come in search of his master to a place where three roads meet. ”

“ Some doubts have occurred as to the food of the glow-worm. From actual observation, it has been ascertained that its larvæ feed on snails, decayed worms, &c., and are decidedly carnivorous. Neither old nor young touch plants as food. The larvæ are very voracious in their habits; but it is supposed that the perfect insect eats but little. If it does eat, it probably feeds on animal substance.
The female is without wings, and is far more luminous than the male. ”

“ At a short distance the male pours forth his song, “more sweet than all,” with all its modulations and changes, in this leafy copse. It is, however, “when all the woods are still,” that his song is heard in all its beauty; for then he strains his little throat, as he answers a rival, with all the enthusiasm of love and jealousy. ”

“ Every old woman in Windsor knows all about the facts.
There is no occasion to dwell on the spirit of contradiction and flippancy in which this passage was written; but I will proceed to facts.
That a tree was cut down near the Castle in consequence of a dispute the King had with his son, afterwards George IV., cannot be doubted. Sir Herbert Taylor informed me that he heard the order given, but he assured me that the tree so felled was an Elm. Indeed, the whole character of George III. would of itself be a sufficient guarantee that Herne’s Oak was not cut down by his order. ”

“ In like manner a young bee, almost directly after it has left its cell, will fly away not only to collect honey from flowers, but will return with its little thighs loaded with what is called bee-bread. ”

“ The instincts of animals are so extraordinary, and some of them are so nearly allied to reason, that a few instances of these faculties may not be thought uninteresting. It is, however, difficult to define where instinct ends and reason begins in animals, and therefore I will state some facts which may enable readers to judge for themselves. ”

“ In these deplorable circumstances, some of the inhabitants on the river collect what number of swans they can, in different places, and feed them with corn in hovels, for which the City amply repays them. In these hovels, so different from their own bright element, they are far from being at their ease. Filth of every kind is disagreeable to them. ”

“ The face is slightly bearded, the features massive but finely formed, and with a most noble expression. Indeed, where shall we find in classical art any head in which such majesty is combined with the traits of individual likeness? ”

“ This insect, if placed in a glass, and looked at when it is dark, will be found to be considerably luminous. Blumenbach asserts that another luminous insect gives such a strong light, that two of them placed in a glass, gave sufficient light to read by. The fire-flies of hot countries have wings, both male and female; so that when they occur in great quantities, they exhibit a brilliant spectacle to the inhabitants. That pest of farmers, the wire-worm, is, we believe, luminous. ”

“ It is said that when a scorpion is surrounded by a circle of burning coals or wood, and begins to feel the heat, it runs about to seek some mode of escape, but finding none, it stings itself and immediately dies. ”

“ Sparrows, also, have been known to feed one of their companions, who was caught by the leg by a long piece of worsted which she was conveying to her nest in the thatched roof of a building, and was so fixed among the straws, that she could not extricate herself. ”

“ I have been assured that after the inscription had been placed on the tree, some females, who had been in the habit of passing between Windsor and Datchet through the park at night, have been alarmed with the fear of meeting “Herne the hunter.” If this was so, it curiously shows the fact that superstition holds the same sway in this neighbourhood as it did when Shakespeare made Mr. Page say
In deepthere want not many that do fear,
In deep of night to walk by this Herne’s Oak. ”

“ When that time came, Pope would say: “John, where are the verses I told you of?”—“I have forgotten them, sir.”—“John, you are a blockhead—I must write them down for you.” John said that no one thought of saying, when speaking of him, Mr. Pope, but he was always called Mr. Alexander. In one of his poems, he, with considerable bitterness, attacks a Mr. Secretary Johnson, a neighbour of his, residing at a villa on the banks of the Thames, now called Orleans House, and refers with considerable spite to his “Dog and Bitch.” ”

“ It is that the number of cells made is always proportioned to that of the different bees to be produced. Another curious fact is that when several queen bees are produced they are all killed but one. If more than a single female were allowed to remain in the hive, a greater number of eggs would be laid than the working bees would be able to supply with cells. ”

“ Theodosia was an elegant melancholic woman, and had been a beauty in print-shops.
“The editors knew nothing of this anecdote, nor did Dr. Johnson—Virgilium vidi tantum. I never saw Cowper but twice. I used to visit a rich cousin who lived near Newport Pagnell, and who got an eye beat out by a cricket ball at Eton: it was all he got there. In one of these visits I learnt that my friend, Lady Hesketh, was staying with Cowper in his cottage at Weston, three miles off, and I supplicated her for a sight of her hermit, which she contrived to manage. ”

“ Newton is of opinion that no museum in Europe can show so magnificent a series of high reliefs. These marbles will no doubt form a fine study for artists, and it is to be hoped that drawings of them will be published. ”

“ There are a thousand curious facts and circumstances in natural history, in this and other countries, which escape being recorded either from their being thought too trivial, or from a want of a ready mode of communicating them. ”