—72— 



I presuppose a primitive bee fertile and affectionate, hoarding and 

 intelligent. 



I show that great want will necessarily diminish the number of 

 her eggs. 



That it will render some eggs imperfect by deranging the repro- 

 ductive organs of the mother. 



That consequently some of the offspring will be defective in the re- 

 producing organs. 



That while other imperfect bees will generally die before maturity, 

 those imperfect only i)i the reproductive organs, will live if the perfect 

 offspring live. 



That some of these being incapable of mating, will not go away for 

 that purpose, but will stay with the mother-bee. 



That having surplus energy to expend, they will use it in accord- 

 ance with the instinct of the race, in gathering and storing food. 



That the surplus food will be utilized by the mother-bee, and that 

 therefore this family will be affluent. 



That being affluent the formerly overtaxed mother will recover her 

 health, and that her oflspring will thereafter be perfect. 



That consequentl}- these nursemaid-bees will have no successors, 

 and the family will therefore be again reduced to want. 



That some bees of the same hatch with the nursemaids will be con- 

 genitally imperfect notwithstanding that they leave the mother and find 

 mates. 



That the offspring of congenitally imperfect bees will be extremely 

 variable. 



That some of this oflspring will be unable to reproduce and that 

 they will remain with the mother-bee as nursemaids or helpers. 



That these helpers from the congenital imperfections of their moth- 

 ers will have successors; substantially as is seen among the hive-bees 

 and the humble-bees of the present day, and 



That the variation thus started will eventually be reduced to a given 

 type or types — by the survival of the fittest. 



That whatever other circumstances may aid in producing the result 

 in question, this is sufficient of itself to account for the specialization of 

 the bee and the ant into females, males and workers. 



