446 THE BIOLOGY OF INSECTS 



heredity and evolution that have a bearing on the history 

 of all living creatures in the world. Then the study of 

 insect behaviour affords instructive examples of the w^orking 

 of inherited reflex actions for the benefit of the family, the 

 society, and the race, while in many cases there is clear 

 indication of memory and inteUigence. 



In our discussion on Insect Behaviour (Chap. V) 

 allusion was made (pp. 94-95) to the way in which 

 writers of various nations and periods have held up the 

 behaviour of ants and bees as an example to human com- 

 munities. Many of the activities of such insects have 

 indeed a resemblance to those of man, and the ordered 

 industry of the ants' nest or the bee-hive may be used to 

 emphasise the importance of service to the common good. 

 Yet the student of insect life who thinks at times about the 

 problems of human society, cannot accept the great family- 

 state of the ants, bees, or termites, with its predominantly 

 automatic activities and its complete subordination of the 

 individual, as a model for his own commonwealth. It will 

 be remembered that the familiar passage from Shakespeare's 

 Henry V. quoted a few pages back, occurs in a speech 

 advocating '' obedience " as the end of national purpose, 

 even if called out by the resolve of an ambitious ruler 

 to embark on aggressive war. The analogy of the hive 

 in such an argument depends largely on the supposed 

 monarchical system of the bee community, and we now know 

 well that the '' queen," so far from directing the activities 

 of the workers, is herself controlled by them. The organised 

 insect society is splendidly efficient because its multitude 

 of members have the innate tendency to respond accurately 

 to the successive stimulations of their environment, material 

 or animate. The result is an apparent communistic pur- 

 pose leading to activities in which the individual has neither 

 initiative nor responsibility. Despite the superficial like- 

 ness, nothing could be more diverse fundamentally from a 

 human commonwealth, whether its members obey the 

 orders of a despotic ruler, or by way of discussion and 

 reasoned action work willingly for the general good. 



