14(5 Chapter VII. 



edge, and thus enabling the animal to modify its sub- 

 sequent: mode of action. The very fundamental princi- 

 ple of Bethe's new reflex-theory is erroneous; and for 

 this reason we cannot admit the structure which he has 

 built upon it. His constantly recurring argument, that 

 such and such an activity of ants and bees has not been 

 learnt, and must consequently be regarded as a mere 

 reflex activity, proves absolutely nothing. 



In applying his reflex-theory to the life of ants Bethe 

 has unfortunately altogether overlooked the psychic ele- 

 ment of the activities which he mentions. Moreover 

 he simply denies facts that escaped his personal obser- 

 vation, or which did not seem to fit into his system. 

 Thus he denies the power of communication (p. 65), 

 or, at most, admits its possibility in the marauding ex- 

 peditions of the so-called slave-making species. Never- 

 theless the existence of this mutual communication 

 which is accomplished by taps of the feelers has been 

 previously demonstrated in many other happenings of 

 ant life. That ants frequently modify their actions 

 through individual experiences, as when they grow 

 familiar with new genuine guests, and learn to treat 

 as enemies guests which had been previously tolerated 

 with indifference, and even to seize and kill them, 

 such facts as these are all unknown to Mr. Bethe, 

 although scientific literature furnished abundant ma- 

 terial in proof of their existence. He even appeals to 

 my own writings in support of his statement that no 

 single fact clearly demonstrates the existence of 

 "psychic qualities in ants" (p. 69). Verily, this appeal 

 cannot be understood except for his error in taking 

 sensitive perception for intelligence. 



