THE WAYS OF LIFE 253 



' When the queen had laid eggs in all the cells of the 

 two older combs, she went several times round their circum- 

 ference (as she always does, in order to ascertain whether 

 she has not forgotten any cell), and then prepared to 

 retreat into the lower part of the breeding room. But 

 as she had overlooked the four cells of the new comb, the 

 workers ran impatiently from this part to the queen, pushing 

 her, in an odd manner, with their heads, as they did also 

 other workers they met with. In consequence, the queen 

 began again to go around on the two older combs, but 

 as she did not find any cell wanting an egg, she tried to 

 descend ; but everywhere she was pushed back by the 

 workers. This contest lasted for a rather long while, 

 till at last the queen escaped without having completed 

 her work. Thus, the workers knew how to advise the 

 queen that something was as yet to be done, but they 

 knew not how to show her where it had to be done '. 



What is called ' the plasticity of instinct ' illustrates the 

 modifying influence of intelligence. One of Romanes's 

 examples may be cited. He took three orphaned ferrets 

 and gave them to a young Brahma hen which was sitting 

 on dummy eggs. She had never reared a brood of chickens, 

 so she was quite unprejudiced. On the other hand, it is 

 interesting to note that she had been nearly killed by an old 

 ferret a few months before, so she should not have shown 

 any partiality for that tribe. As a matter of fact, she took 

 to them immediately, and she sat on them for rather more 

 than a fortnight, nearly up to the time when their eyes 

 were open. The ferrets were at first taken from the nest 

 to be fed with milk, but as this procedure caused the foster- 

 mother much uneasiness, they were afterwards fed in the 

 nest an arrangement with which the hen was perfectly 

 satisfied. She seemed to be puzzled at the lethargy of her 



