From H. M. Westropp   20 April [1871]¹

Dear Sir

Allow me to mention to you a fact in natural history, which may not be uninteresting to you— Many years ago, when in the Zoological Gardens at Vienna, I saw a bear exhibit an amount of reason, which we could scarcely give the brute credit for. In the gardens the bears cage is built out into a little pond. Boys generally throw pieces of bread to the bear when in the water. Sometimes the bread was thrown in the water at some little distance from the bars of the cage, and out of reach of the bears paws   In this case, I saw the bear deliberately create a current with his paw and gradually draw the piece of bread within his reach—²

I feel quite flattered at your adopting my view at page 233, of your ‘Descent of Man.³ Some years ago I wrote a paper on the ‘Analogous forms of implements among different races’, putting forward a similar view, ascribing their similarity to the uniformity of the operations of instinct, and to the suggestive principle in the mind of man among all races and in all ages— When read at the Anthropological Soc., it was branded as “a wild speculation” a few years later I was glad to see the same view adopted by Nilsson in his Stone Age, and by Catlin, in his ‘Last Rambles’.⁴ I must claim priority here as my paper appeared in the Memoirs of the Anthropological Society two years before Nilsson’s work

I wrote another paper and sent it to the Anthropological Society, about two months ago on the ‘Analogies and Coincidences among unconnected natives’ containing a similar view tracing these analogies to the identity of the human mind, and to the uniformity in its development among all races—⁵ I am glad to see this view confirmed by your observations at page 343 Vol II of your ‘Descent of Man’⁶

Apologising for the liberty I have taken in writing to you | I remain | sincerely yours | Hodder M Westropp