Slowly, now - - -

In order to appeal to human beings, animals need to have as flat a face as possible.

Baby panda - - aaaaah.

Baby crocodile - - forget it. Most people would make you into a handbag as soon as look at you.

Baby snake - - well, actually, we thought our corn snake - now fully grown and about four feet six inches long - was really cute when he was a baby, just about the size of a pencil. But I know that many would disagree.

I thought these tiny snails, found last week on some leaves at Bolton Abbey, were really sweet.

Now why should that be? When I find a big snail I don't tend to tread on it or harm it in any way or even eat it - but I don't think "aaaah, how cute" either.

I realise that the "aaaaaah" reaction is so that we will look after our babies, rather than abandoning them when things get difficult. But - well, in my case, at least - it seems transferable to most small creatures. There must be some evolutionary advantage in this, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.