The Mason-Wasps 



useful that occasion may offer. This guide 

 the insect undoubtedly possesses, to a very 

 manifest degree. It is the second province 

 of its mentality. Here it is conscious and 

 capable of improvement by experience. I 

 dare not speak of this rudimentary faculty 

 as intelligence, which is too exalted a title : 

 I will call it discernment. The insect, in 

 exercising its highest gifts, discerns, differ- 

 entiates between one thing and another, 

 within the sphere of its craft, of course; and 

 that is about all. 



So long as we confound acts of pure in- 

 stinct and acts of discernment under the 

 same head, we shall fall back into those 

 endless discussions which embitter contro- 

 versy without bringing us one step nearer 

 to the solution of the problem. Is the in- 

 sect conscious of what it does? Yes and 

 no. No, if its action falls within the do- 

 main of instinct; yes, if the action falls within 

 that of discernment. Are the habits of an 

 insect capable of modification? No, de- 

 cidedly not, if the habit in question belongs 

 to the province of instinct; yes, if it belongs to 

 that of discernment. Let us state this fun- 

 damental distinction mere precisely with the 

 aid of a few examples. 



The Pelopaeus builds her cells with earth 

 158 



