58 EVOLUTION OF MIND 



taken from other orders and genera than those above 

 mentioned of their mental character, of the wonderful 

 degree or kind of intelligence that pervades it. Nor is it 

 possible or proper to omit a summary of the leading 

 psychical characteristics of such insects as the ant, bee, 

 and wasp, because it is most important by-and-by to com- 

 pare these characteristics with the mental endowments of 

 some of the highest even of the Vertebrata. 



Tn a psychical point of view, by far the most interesting 

 order of the Insecta is that of the Hymenoptera ; while of the 

 Hymenoptera by far the most important genera and species 

 are the various ants. It is unnecessary for present purposes 

 to point out the names and number of these genera and 

 species, which are to be found in the Appendix ; but it 

 is always to be borne in mind that the term ' ant ' is a 

 very comprehensive one, infinitely more so than ' man,' 

 'dog/ 'horse,' or 'cat,' of each of which there is only a 

 single species and genus. The mental character of one 

 species or genus of ant is not, therefore, necessarily that of 

 another ; on the contrary, there is the same kind, and even 

 a greater degree, of psychical variety among the different 

 genera and species of ant than among the different races or 

 breeds of man, the dog, horse, or cat, or among individuals 

 in man. This subject, however, is more fully treated of in 

 the chapter on ' Individuality.' 



It is only possible here to summarise, by a sort of tabu- 

 lation, the leading psychical characteristics of ants as a 

 group. These characteristics include, then 



1. Co-operation for a given purpose. 



2. Division of labour, including the working by turns 

 and the use of relief parties. 



3. Use of, and obedience to, authority, including the 

 employment of a language of command. 



4. Understanding each others' language a language 

 apparently of touch. 



5. Organisation of ranks, including military organisation 

 and discipline. 



6. Knowledge of the possession of power, and the use 

 of it, including the subjection of the weak by the strong, 



