protected during the nesting season, and should thus increase in number, still receive at times such a check from severe weather as considerably diminishes their ranks.—W. Wilson (Alford, Aberdeen, N.B.).
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE.
In this magazine (1897, p. 29) I ventured to repeat the statement made to me in the Transvaal, that the Chacma Baboon can count up to three, but not higher. I have just read in the recently published Seebohm's 'Birds of Siberia,' in connection with the Grey Plover (p. 154):—"Our[1] little manœuvre of walking away from the nest in a body, leaving one behind lying flat on the ground to watch, under the impression that the bird could not count beyond three, and would think that we had all gone, was clearly so much artifice wasted." The two impressions are so very similar that it would be not only interesting, but important, if any of our contributors could add further suggestion or information on the question.
With all our increasing bionomical information, we know practically little as to the intelligence of animals other than ourselves. We teach them to obey, and in some cases make them understand what we want them to do, but never seek to put ourselves in real communication with them. Recently much has been said and written as to our opening communications with the inhabitants (?) of Mars. Would it not be more feasible to try and communicate with the animal life of this planet? Language is not necessarily articulate, and it has been proved that the gesture language, when acquired by deaf and dumb mutes, is understood by other primitive races. We know that animals do communicate with each other. How do they do it, and how may we participate in the process?—W.L. Distant.
- ↑ Mr. J.A. Harvie-Brown was the comrade of Seebohm in this expedition.
