100 ARCHITECTURE OF BEES. 



animal instinct than has been already furnished by 

 writers* well entitled to our respect, we shall restrict 

 ourselves to one or two brief remarks having a spe- 

 cial reference to the subject of this chapter. It has 

 been said of Instinct generally, that, taken the least 

 out of its way, it seems an undistinguishing, limited 

 faculty, and blind to any circumstance that does not 

 immediately respect self-preservation^ or lead at once 

 to the propagation or support of the species. As far 

 as the instinct of Bees is concerned, this maxim 

 must be taken in a qualified sense; for there are 

 numerous instances in the proceedings of this insect 

 in which instinct does vary, and conform to the cir- 

 cumstances of place and convenience ; and in no part 

 of their economy do we see more striking instances 

 of this half-reasoning faculty than in their Architec- 

 ture. In the ordinary operations of collecting their 

 food, feeding their young, following their queen, &c. 

 they are prompted, doubtless, by pure and simple 

 instinct. In avoiding danger, and in returning to 

 the spot where food had formerly been provided for 

 them, they seem guided by an exertion of memory, a 

 faculty which they appear to possess in a consider- 

 able degree. But in adapting their waxen structures 

 to change of circumstances, and so as to overcome 

 any artificial obstacle, in building upwards, con- 

 trary to their natural mode of procedure, in building 

 laterally, when unable to find a sure foundation for 

 their works, either above or below, in curving their 

 combs, and constructing them angularly, when de- 

 * See Bonnet, Huber, Virey, Kirby and Spence, Bevan, &c. 



