The Descent of Man

somewhat fewer instincts than those possessed
by the animals which come next to him in the
series. The orang in the Eastern islands, and the
chimpanzee in Africa, build platforms on
which they sleep; and, as both species follow
the same habit, it might be argued that this was
due to instinct, but we cannot feel sure that it is
not the result of both animals having similar
wants, and possessing similar powers of reasoning.
These apes, as we may assume, avoid
the many poisonous fruits of the tropics, and
man has no such knowledge: but as our domestic
animals, when taken to foreign lands, and
when first turned out in the spring, often eat
poisonous herbs, which they afterwards avoid,
we cannot feel sure that the apes do not learn
from their own experience or from that of their
parents what fruits to select. It is, however, certain,
as we shall presently see, that apes have
an instinctive dread of serpents, and probably
of other dangerous animals.