Change of Diet 



cure's preference, due to the greater juici- 

 ness of the flesh? I am not in a position 

 to say. At all events, the Bembex is not so 

 infatuated with Fly as to refuse to abandon 

 it for other game. 



The failure which I foresaw has proved 

 a magnificent success. It Is fairly convinc- 

 ing, is it not? Without the evidence of ex- 

 periment, what can we rely upon? Beneath 

 the ruins of so many theories which appeared 

 to be most solidly erected I should hesitate 

 to admit that two and two make four if the 

 facts were not before me. My argument 

 had the most tempting probability on its side, 

 but it had not the truth. As It is always 

 possible to find reasons after the event in 

 support of an opinion which one would not 

 at first admit, I should now argue as fol- 

 lows: 



The plant is the great factory in which 

 are elaborated, with mineral materials, the 

 organic principles which are the materials 

 of life. Certain products are common to the 

 whole vegetable series, but others, far less 

 numerous, are prepared In special labora- 

 tories. Each genus, each species has Its 

 trade-mark. Here essential oils are manu- 

 factured; here alkaloids; here starches, fatty 

 substances, resins, sugars, acids. Hence re- 



195' 



