38 



The neuter Termites are blind and can have no sense of light in their 

 internal or subterranean burrowings ; yet they will undermine build- 

 ings and pulverize various parts of elaborate furniture without once 

 gnawing through to the surface, and those species which use clay will 

 fill up their burrowings to strengthen the sup^iorts of structures which 

 might otherwise fall and injure the insects or betray their work. The 

 bat in a lighted room, though blinded as to sight, will fly in all direc- 

 tions with such swiftness and infallible certainty of avoiding concussion 

 or contact, that its feeling at a distance is practically incomprehensible 

 to us. 



The manner in which anything threatens its welfare thrills and agi- 

 tates one of these insect communities, and causes every individual to 

 act at once for the common good, has been noted by all observers, and 

 is a good illustration in point. It may be likened to the manner in 

 which the same conditions influence communities of other animals, 

 including man. There are emergencies when intuitive feeling dispos- 

 sesses reason, and every capable person seems blindly urged to definite 



Fig. 13. — Antenna of male PLengodes with portion of ray.— Greatly enlarged (original.) 



action for the protection of the community, regardless of consequence. 

 The war cry of a nation is an example in point, and violations of other- 

 wise just, but tedious, processes of law are under certain circumstances 

 deemed justifiable. I shall never forget the emotion that influenced 

 the citizens of Chicago the day follow^ing their great fire in 1871. Rea- 

 son, argument, judgment, were in abeyance. The quicker, intuitive 

 processes prevailed, and to meet lawlessness and the tendency to incen- 

 diarism, every right-minded citizen was ready to do vigilant duty, 

 regardless of personal interest, every incendiary being hanged to the 

 nearest lamp-post without ado or delay. It was the universal and deep- 

 seated instinct of self-preservation. 



Telepathy. — But however difficult it may be to define this intuitive 

 sense which, while apparently combining some of the other senses, has 

 many attributes peculiar to itself, and however difficult it may be for 

 us to analyze the remarkable sense of direction, there can be no doubt 

 that many insects possess the power of communicating at a distance, 

 of which we can form some conception by what is known as telepathy 

 in man. This power would seem to depend neither upon scent nor upon 



