The study of instinct

Niko Tinbergen's *The Study of Instinct* is a seminal work in ethology, the study of animal behavior.

Tinbergen outlines the four key questions that guide ethological research: causation, development, function, and evolution.

He emphasizes the importance of studying animal behavior in its natural environment and integrating different levels of analysis to understand the complexity of behavior.

The book presents numerous examples of animal behavior, illustrating the principles of ethology and its application to understanding the adaptive significance of behavior.

It remains a highly influential work in the field of animal behavior and continues to inspire research.