the behaviour of animals

205 Pages·2013·5.89 MB·English

THE BEHAVIOUR OF
ANIMALS
An Introduction to its Study
BY
E. S. RUSSELL
O.B.E., D.Se., F.L.S.
LONDON
EDWARD ARNOLD & CO.
1934
B.L.No.64.
Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research
Library, ~ 0 'R~ S
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Register No.2?5S. Room No.
Inward No. 'd5'/7. (\ Shelf No.
Received. 28-11-1939 Book No.
MGIPc-s7-11I·6·122-6·12·32-2CO.
THE BEHAVIOUR OF ANIMALS
"History shows that throughout the centuries,
from Aristotle and Pliny to the present day,
natural history constitutes the perennial root-stock
or stolon of biological science, and that it retains
this character because it satisfies some of our most
fundamental and vital interests in organisms as
living individuals more or less like ourselves."
WILLIAM MORTON WHEELER, 1928.
All rights reserved
Made and Printed in Great Britain by
Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and-London
PREFACE
This book is based upon lectures delivered in the Depart
ment of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at University
College, London, in 1933. The treatment has been ex
panded, but the lecture form is to some extent retained.
Obviously the book is little more than a sketch, and its
object is, quite simply, to interest students ,and other people
in the problems of animal behaviour. References to litera
ture have been given freely to serve as a guide to anyone
desirous of pursuing the subject further. Emphasis has been
laid on the ecological and "natural history" aspect of
behaviour, which is apt to be overlooked by the laboratory
worker. Much valuable knowledge which does not appear
in the textbooks is possessed by field naturalists, game
keepers, shepherds, dog-breeders, fishermen and sportsmen,
and there has been a tendency among professional students
to discount such knowledge as inexact and unscientific, no
doubt with some justification. We must distinguish between
fact and interpretation; any straightforward and accurate
description of animal behaviour is of value in the present
undeveloped state of the science, but the observer must be
careful to state only the facts and avoid reading human motives,
human ways of thought, into the behaviour of his animal.
The animal anecdote has deservedly acquired a bad reputation
among professional workers, simply because a kernel of
accurate fact has been wrapped up in a bundle of faulty
interpretation.
I would, however, strongly emphasize the value of recording
as fully and accurately as possible not only what appear to
be exceptional cases of animal "intelligence" but, what is
even more important, the normal everyday activities of
animals, especially in a wild state. Here is a field where the
amateur naturalist and the sportsman can help. Much has
of course been done, but the field is unlimited, and there is
v
VI PREFACE
still a great deal to be learned, especially about the lower
forms. It is far more important nowadays to work out the
life-history and habits of a beetle or a caddis-fly than to form
extensive collections or make new " records."
I hope that this book, which has been kept as simple and
straightforward as possible, will be of service not only to the
student commencing the study of animal behaviour but also
to the great number of people who are interested in what
animals do and how they live.
There is one obvious omission to which I should like to
refer in order to forestall criticism. I have left out any
detailed reference to the behaviour of social insects, partly
because the subject is so vast, but mainly because it has been
treated fully in many excellent books of recent date, by
W. M. Wheeler, Forel, K. von Frisch, lmms and others.
I am indebted to my wife for the preparation of most
of the illustrations.
E. S. R.
December, 1933.
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I METHOD OF ApPROACH
II BEHAVIOUR AND ECOLOGY 20
III MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES. 44
IV MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES (Continued) 6g
V CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOUR go
VI INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN RELATION TO DEVELOPMENT AND
REPRODUCTION 115
VII DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIOUR AND LEARNING 131
VIn "INSIGHT" LEARNING 153
IX PERCEPTION AND GESTALT THEORY 166
INDEX • 181
vii
LIST OF PLATES
FACING
PLATE PAGE
I (i) Marked Plaice . 50
(ii) Righting Response in the Starfish 50
II (i) Aggregation of Dog-whelks on exposed Rock 70
(ii) Limpet "Homes" on barnacle-covered Rock 70
III The Ant-lion . go
IV Track of Ant-lion moving towards light 92
V (i) Lately hatched Cedar Bird 118
(ii) Herring Gull Squab" hiding" 118
VI Cebus Monkey building 160
viii
THE BEHAVIOUR OF ANIMALS
CHAPTER I
METHOD OF APPROACH
By way of introduction I shall describe in the simplest
possible terms a number of examples of animal -behaviour,
keeping deliberately to the standpoint of the naIve observer.
A terrier is playing in a room with its ball; the ball rolls
out of sight under a chest of drawers; the dog follows it,
pushes its head under the chest but cannot reach the ball ;
then lies down on its side and scrabbles with its feet, trying
now in this attitude, now in that, to reach the ball. After
a while, if its efforts are fruitless it desists, and, if it is expe
rienced in the art, waits expectantly till I fetch a stick and
push the ball out, while it lies in wait and pounces on the
ball as it appears.
That is a simple but accurate description of the behaviour,
expressed in ordinary language-the "plain tale," as Lloyd
Morgan would can it; it can be verified by any observer
present at the time. We note that the salient feature of the
behaviour is the continued, persistent and varied effort of
the dog to reach the ball, whether the ball is in sight or not.
We say that the dog is trying in different ways to get at the
ball; in more technical language, the dog is exhibiting
conative or directive behaviour.
Take another example from a much lower zoological leveL
While walking on the beach between tide marks I observe a
good-sized shore-crab and I try to catch it. How does the
crab respond to this attack? It may scuttle away as fast as
it 'Can, holding up its big claws in such a way that it can
clash them together and nip the incautious finger. It. may
skulk out of sight under a stone or sink gently into the sand
by burying itself; if I seize it and pull it out, it will resist
B