EXAMPLES OF INSTINCT 



of the burrow. He placed it at a short distance. 

 The Sphex, coming up again, was apparently agit- 

 ated by the disappearance of its captive and sought 

 for it energetically. Having found it, the Sphex 

 drew it a second time to the mouth of the burrow, 

 laid it down again, and proceeded to inspect afresh ! 

 This routine was repeated no fewer than forty times 

 in succession, and the apparent compulsion to do 

 things always in a given order is evidently strong. 

 Although the burrow had been so often inspected, 

 the Sphex had to do it again when it brought its 

 captive cricket once more to the entrance. 



Fabre's experiment certainly shows how thoroughly 

 an instinctive animal may become the slave of 

 routine. On the other hand, there are details 

 in the story which suggest that the routine is not 

 like the blind working of a machine. There was the 

 energetic searching for the stolen cricket a variation 

 from the usual routine. There was, moreover, 

 an incidental experiment made by Fabre. On one 

 occasion he substituted for the paralysed cricket 

 another specimen which had not been stung. When 

 the Sphex came to drag it in, the cricket naturally 

 resisted, and there was a keen struggle. It did not 

 last long, however, for the Sphex soon leaped on its 

 victim and stung it thrice. It is possible that 

 intelligence took the reins at the critical moment. 

 In any case the Sphex wasp showed itself to be some- 

 thing more than an automatic machine. 



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