68 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP. 
have completely lost their eyes and become 
quite blind. 
But I must not let myself be carried away 
by this fascinating subject, which I have 
treated more at length in another work.’ I . 
will only say that though their intelligence 
is no doubt limited, still I do not think that 
any one who has studied the life-history of 
Ants can draw any fundamental line of sep- 
aration between instinct and reason. 
When we see a community of Ants work- 
“ing together in perfect harmony, it is impos- 
sible not to ask ourselves how far they are 
mere exquisite automatons ; how far they are 
conscious beings? When we watch an 
ant-hill tenanted by thousands of industrious 
inhabitants, excavatmg chambers, forming 
tunnels, making roads, guarding their home, 
gathering food, feeding the young, tending 
their domestic animals — each one fulfilling 
its duties industriously, and without con- 
fusion, —it is difficult altogether to deny 
to them the gift of reason; and all our 
1 Ants, Bees, and Wasps. 
oa 
a Cit) bale 
