The Life of the Bee 



gained from their study ; for this world 

 being more densely peopled and more 

 complex than others, certain special desires 

 of nature are often more palpably revealed 

 to us there ; and she may even at times 

 be detected in the midst of experiments 

 we might almost be warranted in regard- 

 ing as incomplete. She has one great and 

 general desire, for instance, that she dis- 

 plays on all sides ; the amelioration of 

 each species through the triumph of the 

 stronger. This struggle, as a rule, is 

 most carefully organised. The hecatomb 

 of the weak is enormous, but that matters 

 little so long as the victors' reward be 

 effectual and certain. But there are cases 

 when one might almost imagine that na- 

 ture had not had time enough to disen- 

 tangle her combinations ; cases where 

 reward is impossible, and the fate of the 

 victor no less disastrous than that of the 

 vanquished. And of such, selecting an 



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