200 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



point is the sea-level of human life. Man has 

 conquered every other animal with which his 

 interests conflict, but he refuses to rule over him- 

 self. He will not submit all matters to the 

 decision of expert judges. He will not let them 

 decide how much labour he can perform, and 

 where and when ; nor would he dream of allowing 

 them to decide (as Malthus suggested) in what 

 way the " unfit " should be eliminated. 



In "the ants' republic and the realm of bees" 

 there is apparently but little contention, and no 

 fraud ; the insects are, however, constituted for 

 a virtuous temperament. They are like little 

 children, whose only care is to look after the 

 baby. In the hive is one mother; all the rest 

 are her descendants, or the nurses of a preceding 

 generation. In the ant-hill are several mothers, 

 but the labours of the colony are performed by 

 those who can never rear any young of their own. 

 This accounts for the harmony in their homes. 

 Throughout the animal world the nest is a cause 

 of strife and combat, not only between species, 

 but amongst the individuals of every race. 



Some of the wasps have so far departed from 



