50 Insect Atrhitecture, 



^gs where her progeny will find the food which is best suited to their 

 nature ? In almost no case does the perfect insect eat that food, so that 

 the parent cannot judge from her own habits. , ,The Contriver of the 

 mechanism by which insects work also directs the instinct by which they 

 use their tools. It is exceedingly difficult, with our very limited knowledge 

 of the springs of action in the inferior animals, to determine the motives of 

 their industry; that is, whether they see clearly the end and object of their 

 arrangements. A human architect, in all his plans, has regard, according 

 to the extent of his skill, to the combination of beauty and convenience ; 

 and m most cases he has adaptations peculiar to the circiimstarices con- 

 nected with the purpose of the structure. In the erection of a common 

 dwelling-house, for instance, one family requires many sleeping-rooms, an- 

 other few; one wants its drawing-rooms in a suite, another detached. The 

 architect knows all these wants, and provides for them. But all insects 

 build their habitations upon the same general model, although they can 

 slightly vary them according to circumstances. Thus, according as the 

 uniformity, or the occasional adaptation of their work to particular situa- 

 tions, has been most regarded by those who speculate up9n their actions, 

 they have been held to be wholly governed by instinct or by intelligence, 

 have been called machines or free ag'ents'. There are difficulties in either 

 conclusion; and the truth, perhaps, lies between the two opinions. Their 

 actions may ^entirely regult from, theijc organisation^ they are . certainly in 

 conformity with it. Those who would deny the animal all intelligence, by 

 which we nieari a power, resulting from selection, of deviating in small 

 matters from a'precise rule of action, are often materialists, who shut their 

 eyes to the creating and preserving economy of Providence. But even this 

 belief in the infallible results of organisation does not necessarily imply the 

 disbelief of a presiding Power. * The same wisdom,' says Bonnet, * which 

 has constructed and arranged with so much art the various organs of ani- 

 mals, and has made them coricur towards one determined end, has also 

 provided that the different operations which are the natural results of the 

 economy of the animal should concur towards the sgpue end. The creature 

 is directed towards his object by an invisible hand; he executes with pre- 

 cision, and by one 'effort, those works which we, so much admire; he 

 appears to act as if he reasoned; to return to' his labour at the pi'opfer time, 

 to change his jgchemein case of nefid. But in all this he only obfeys the 

 secret influence ^hj^ch, ; drives him op. He is but aji jnstfunjeptj whdch 

 cannot judge of each action, but is wound up by that ador^le Intelligence, 

 which Ifaslracfed '6'iit for ^fery iiiseet its proper lab6urs,'as he has' traced 

 the forbit ©f^ eajfih planet).' "When, thei-^fore, I s^^ ah. inject' wbrkitig at the 

 cor^trWJti^fl of a nest; or k cocoon, I am impressed ;widh -respect, because 

 it seems to pie tjiat I a^ft at,^ spjectacle where the Si^prem^i Afti^t; is hid 

 beiiinci ihe curtain.* "' (p. 180.) ' 



If there J sj one > poit^ion ©f ^ lihe i little ^a^h i tefefoi<^' ilff which 

 we feel less, dispoised tbr be satiisfifed with thah Another, it is 

 that coQtained m thelfifth and sixth chapters, , which ti^at of 

 the avowedly difficult subject of the arbhitecturje- and economy 

 of the hive-beei There is here, indeed, much curious and 

 interesting inibrniation, but mixed up, at th^ same time '(as it 

 appears to us)^ with some error and confusion,* ' jnore espe- 

 cially as it regards the collecting and manufacttire of wax, 

 pi'opolis, and honey. Arid we confess that^ after having sub- 

 mitted these chapters to a second perusal, though there is 

 much to reward the task, we still feel some difficulty, from 



