INSECT SOCIETY. 605 



between the manner in which the registering mechanism of Analogy be- 



an insect or other animal is evolved, and the manner in tween i 

 which the means of perpetuating and disseminating a knowl- ment and social 

 edge of events have arisen in human society ? The one, it is career - 

 true, appertains to individual life ; but is there any fact more clearly 

 made manifest by physiology than that of the parallelism of race life and 

 individual life, no matter how lowly that individual life may be? 



An insect presents us with surprising actions, because it possesses 

 within itself the means of registering the events which occur in its little 

 circle. Nations act wisely and well, according as they are guided by 

 their store of experience. 



If our pride can be so far overcome as to admit that in the history of 

 the life, even of an insect, the progress of mankind is shadowed forth, 

 that is to say, universal history is seen in a microscopic manner, it will 

 not be too much to hope that we shall then entertain physical or mechan- 

 ical ideas of the social career, that society advances in a definite way, has 

 its laws of equilibrium and movement, its centre of intelligence, its centre 

 of power, in short its statics and dynamics. 



Though it is only one out of many instances that might be presented, 

 let us briefly consider social life in the inferior tribe to which reference 

 has been made ; let us also look at some of the individual peculiarities 

 of insects. Our sentiments of exclusiveness and pride may be corrected 

 thereby. 



Insects form societies for mutual assistance, defense, invasion, emigra- 

 tion, mere pleasure societies which undoubtedly arise in 



. /. T 1 T /. s^<* ,1 Insect society. 



the experience ot passions, such as love and tear. Ut these 

 the duration is variable ; some last through the larva state only, some are 

 confined to the imago, some are maintained through life. The organiza- 

 tion by which their object is accomplished is various, monarchical, re- 

 publican. The caterpillars of the processionary moths are guided in 

 their march by a leader ; the termites obey at once a king and a queen. 

 The lust of power is not alone felt among human monarchs ; the queen 

 bee never rests till she lias assassinated her rival. All insects of the 

 same kind are not born equal, nor do all pursue the same occupation ; 

 some follow a life of leisure, some devote themselves to the profession of 

 arms, some are laborers. When the metropolis of the termites is attack- 

 ed, the laborers, as non-combatants, retire, but the soldiers come out. 

 The ants, with which w r e are more familiar, engage in military and filli- 

 bustering expeditions ; they make reconnoissances, set sentinels, march in 

 a definite order, the van alternately falling to the rear ; their lines of com- 

 munication are maintained, and, if necessary, swift couriers are disp&tch- 

 ed for re-enforcements. If successful, they not only carry off the ene- 

 mies' stores, but reduce the vanquished to actual servitude, compelling 



