ETMENOPTEBA. 



Kirby and Spence, in describing the societies of 

 insects, say : " But when we consider the object of 

 these societies, the preservation and multiplication of the 

 species, and the means by which that object is attained 

 (the united labours and co-operation of perhaps millions 

 of individuals), it seems as if they were impelled by 

 passions very similar to those main-springs of human 

 associations which I have just enumerated. Desire 

 appears to stimulate them, love to allure them, fear to 

 alarm them. They want a habitation to reside in and 

 food for their subsistence. Does not this look as if 

 desire were the operating cause which induces them to 

 unite their labours to construct the one and provide the 

 other? Their nest contains a numerous family of 

 helpless brood. Does not love here seem to urge them 

 to exemplary and fond attention, and those unremitted 

 and indefatigable exertions manifested by the whole 

 community for the benefit of these dear objects ? Is 

 it not also evident by their general and singular attach- 

 ment to their families, by their mutual caresses, by 

 their feeding each other, by their sympathy with 

 suffering individuals and endeavours to relieve them, by 

 their readiness to help those that are in difficulty, and 

 finally by their sports and assemblies for relaxation ? 

 That fear produces its influences upon them seems no 

 less evident, when we see them agitated by the approach 

 of enemies, endeavour to repel their attacks, and to 

 construct works of defence. They appear to have 

 besides a common language, for they possess the faculty, 

 by significative gestures and sound's, of communicating 

 their wants and ideas to each other." 



Numerous works have been entirely devoted to the 

 habits and instincts of Bees and Ants, and very inter- 

 esting they are, but it would be impossible to give 

 an intelligible account of them in the small space 

 allotted in this volume. 



The wax of which Bees build their beautiful six-sided 

 cells, and which is the whole source of all the wax used by 

 men for a variety of purposes, is secreted in little scales 



