ANIMAL INSTINCTS. 149 



salmon, the beaver, the tailor and weaver birds, and 

 endless others, might be cited ; but the instances most 

 familiar to us represent in effect the marvel of the 

 whole, and put the common question of origin into its 

 most cogent shape. The old instance of the beehive, 

 quoted from one age to another, tells all that is most 

 wonderful in these instinctive mechanisms of life, in- 

 variable through all known time, and fulfilling the 

 most complex functions of physical and social existence 

 with a precision which no reason or volition of these 

 creatures could effect. ' Quel abime aux yeux du 

 Sage qu'une ruche d'aheilles,' says Eeaumur, and says 

 truly. What is, and whence comes, this marvellous 

 power ? What are the forces which put into action and 

 direct the admirable mechanisms, so various for different 

 animals, yet so invariable for each so closely allied 

 in many ways to the material works of man, yet mani- 

 festly connected with other active influences, to which 

 our knowledge of matter gives no interpretation ? The 

 vigour of Newton's intellect, directed to this problem, 

 found no other solution than that the Creator of Life is 

 Himself the moving power in the innumerable forms of 

 instinct which pervade the animal world. Such con- 

 clusion does but plunge the problem into deeper ob- 

 scurity. It is in effect one shape of pantheism the 

 barrier at which so many efforts to reach what is un- 

 reachable come to a sudden end. 



But though failing to reach the ultimate truth in 

 this matter, there are several subordinate problems 

 lying in the way, and affording the nearest approach to 

 it. These problems, too, are of deep interest in them- 



