INSTINCTS OP HYMENOPTERA. 157 



684. The Hymenoptera are further remarkable for the great 

 development of their instinctive faculties, and of their locomotive 

 powers. It is in this order that we find the most remarkable 

 examples of contrivance, and of skilful adaptation of means to 

 ends ; but this adaptation results, it would appear, not from an 

 exercise of intelligence on the part of the animals themselves (as 

 in Man and the higher Vertebrata), but from their blindly fol- 

 lowing out a path laid down for them by the Almighty Designer 

 (ANIM. PHYSIOL. 475). That the two classes of faculties just 

 mentioned should attain their highest development in the same 

 group (the Neuroptera may, perhaps, be included in this state- 

 ment), is a very remarkable and interesting fact. Considering 

 these powers as those which are peculiarly characteristic of the 

 animal kingdom, we may regard these groups of Insects as the 

 types or centres ( 35) of that kingdom. As we descend the 

 scale, we find these powers gradually disappearing, whilst the 

 organs of vegetative life (which, as we have seen, are of compa- 

 ratively small size in Insects) gain the predominance, so that in 

 the Zoophytes we have an evident approach to the Vegetable 

 kingdom. On the other hand, as we ascend the Vertebrated 

 series, we find the Instincts gradually superseded by Intelligence, 

 which in Man becomes the sole director (at least in the well- 

 governed mind) of the actions, keeping the instincts in subordi- 

 nation ; and through his immortal soul we are connected with 

 that kingdom of pure Intelligence, in which we have reason to 

 believe that Mind exists unfettered by the imperfections of its 

 corporeal instruments, and of which we are encouraged to hope 

 that we shall ourselves be sharers, when "this corruptible shall 

 have put on incorruption." The mutual adjustment of the 

 various instinctive actions of a large number of individuals, so 

 that they all work together towards a common end, like the 

 parts of a machine, is nowhere so remarkable as in the social 

 Insects, which are principally restricted to this order ; and the 

 Bees, Wasps, Ants, Ichneumons, Saw-flies, Gall-flies, and many 

 other groups contained in it, have consequently attracted the 

 attention of the observer of nature from a very early period. 



685. The Insects of this Order undergo a complete meta- 



