Animal Behaviour

Chapter 2: PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

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About This Book

A systematic survey of how organisms act and respond, ranging from cellular and plant reactions to reflexes, instinctive patterns, and learned intelligent acts. The author considers consciousness and mental development, reports experimental and observational evidence from insects, birds, and mammals, and treats social phenomena such as imitation, communication, tradition, play, courtship, and emotion. Physiological, biological, and psychological perspectives are brought together to trace the evolution and interaction of habit, instinct, and intelligence, with comparative examples and experiments used to illustrate continuity in the development of animal life and conduct.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

My book on “Animal Life and Intelligence” being out of print, I undertook to revise it for a new Edition. As the work of revision proceeded, however, it appeared that the amended treatment would not fall conveniently under the previous scheme of arrangement. I therefore decided to write a new book under the title of “Animal Behaviour.” A few passages from the older work have been introduced, and some of the observations and conclusions already published in greater detail in “Habit and Instinct” have been summarized. But it will be found that these occupy a relatively small space in the following pages.

C. Ll. M.

University College, Bristol,
October 1st, 1900.