130 Instinct, 



contrivance related to its Instinct. The rattle gives 

 a note of warning to animals. It is of no apparent 

 use to the snake, as it ought to be according to the 

 Natural Selection theory ; but, on the other hand, it 

 is likely to bring death to its possessor by giving 

 notice to its enemies of his presence. If the rattle 

 is beneficial to the snake, it appears when least need- 

 ed, for when the snake is young and most likely to 

 be injured by its enemies, it has no rattle. The 

 rattles grow as the fangs grow, that make him dan- 

 gerous to other animals and to man. We find this 

 instrument of warning and the Instinct to use it 

 given to this snake that, on account of its great 

 numbers and wide distribution, would be exceeding- 

 ly dangerous without them. 



In this reptile then we have the perforated tooth 

 with all its complicated adjustments, the deadly 

 poison to accompany it, the rattle to give w^arning 

 as he becomes dangerous to other animals, and an 

 Instinct to bring into effective action all these spe- 

 cial structures and functions. 



In the Bee and Wasp and Hornet, we have the 

 instrument for defence, the poisonous secretion and 

 the Instinct to render them effective. But in the 

 Honey-bee, we have much more than these provis- 

 ions for defence. Its Instinct leads it to store hon- 

 ey for use in winter. We pass now the complicated 

 but special apparatus that enables the Bee to gather 

 the honey, to consider the conditions that enable 

 her to store it. After being gorged with honey, 

 she secretes scales of wax under the rings of the 

 body. This substance, essential to the economy of 



