INSTINCT. 295 



though extremely regular, is nothing but a mecha- 

 nical result, which is often exhibited in some of the 

 most rude productions of nature. Crystals, and 

 several other stones, as well as particular salts, &c., 

 constantly assume this figure. In the same manner, 

 each bee endeavouring to occupy as much space as 

 possible in the limited dimensions of the hive, and 

 the bodies of the bees being cylindrical, they must 

 necessarily make their cells hexagonal, from the reci- 

 procal obstruction they give to each other. 



** The genius of bees has been estimated accord- 

 ing to the regularity of their works. Bees are said 

 to be more ingenious than wasps, hornets, &c. ; for, 

 though the latter are acquainted with architecture, 

 their fabrics are more rude and irregular. But it 

 was not considered by the abettors of this opinion, 

 that the greater or less regularity depends solely on 

 the number and figure and not on the intelligence of 

 these creatures. In proportion to the greatness of 

 the number, there are more equal and opposite forces 

 in action, and, of course, more mechanical restraint, 

 and more regularity and apparent perfection in their 

 works *." 



What Steffens says of instincts, namely, that they 

 are nothing but 4t the shootings out of inorganic ani- 

 mal masses f," may be the same, for aught we can 

 understand of such transcendental doctrines, with 

 the following very extraordinary statement from La- 

 marck. " It is not the organs," he says, " or, in other 

 words, the nature and form of the parts of the body 

 of an animal, which have given rise to its habits and 

 its particular faculties, but on the contrary, its habits, 

 its manner of living, and those of its progenitors, 

 have, in the course of time, determined the form of 



* Wood's Buffon,iii. 599. 



f See his ' Beitrage zur innern Naturgescbichto der Erde,' 

 page 298. 



