216 SOCIAL LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD 



Moreover, a second Bombyx or Eggar, the Clover 

 Moth, very like the Oak Eggar, and like it superbly 

 plumed, poses us a very difficult problem. It is fairly 

 abundant around my home ; even in the orchard I find 

 its cocoon, which is easily confounded with that of the 

 Oak Eggar. I was at first deceived by the resemblance. 

 From six cocoons, which I expected to yield Oak Eggars, 

 I obtained, about the end of August, six females of the 

 other species. Well : about these six females, born in 

 my house, never a male appeared, although they were 

 undoubtedly present in the neighbourhood. 



If the ample and feathery antennae are truly sense- 

 organs, which receive information of distant objects, 

 why were not my richly plumed neighbours aware of 

 what was passing in my study ? Why did their feathery 

 " feelers " leave them in ignorance of events which 

 would have brought flocks of the other Eggar ? Once 

 more, the organ does not determine the aptitude. One 

 individual or species is gifted, but another is not, despite 

 an organic equality. 



