LIFE AND HABIT 107 



the bee are typical of the misere attending the non-reciprocal 

 life generally, though the symptoms be not always as pronounced 

 as they are in this case. That Butler saw the same sequence 

 much in the same light as I do, at least in the case of the bee, 

 follows from what he says on page 240, namely, that owing 

 to temptations bees may quit their " grave, prudent and 

 mercantile character " and become " exceedingly profligate 

 and debauched," eating up instead of saving their capital, resolved 

 to work no more. 



According to the bio-economic view, we have here a distorted 

 and incomplete Symbiosis, leading, by way of reaction, to 

 incompleteness in the physical and mental equipment of the 

 bee. The case is typical of the way in which transgression 

 against bio-economic law in the end produces diminution, or 

 stoppage, of essential supplies with resulting degenerative effects 

 upon structure. It is possible that in their normal state the bees 

 know how to " handle " the Vitamines and other subtle ingredi- 

 ents of the food, such as are ever at the command of the symbiotic 

 cross-feeder. And this would indeed constitute, in Butler's 

 words, a matter of " almost inconceivable sociological importance" 

 so far as the bees' commonwealth and their business in life are 

 concerned. Obviously, moreover, the " knowledge " of the 

 bee includes the understanding of an adequate limitation of 

 reproduction in accordance with bio-economic contingencies. 

 Doubtless, the secret of the portentous " knowledge " of the 

 bee lies in Symbiosis, which, as we have seen, precisely provides 

 " well-connected " and " well-inspired " knowledge. " Complete 

 memory," " complete inheritance." " complete diet," and 

 " complete Symbiosis," thus go together. 



It is clear, however, that Butler felt obliged to circumnavigate 

 the subject of food and feeding. As I have stated above, it was 

 not given to him to raise the study of food to the platform of 

 Bio-Economics. He confined himself instead to pointing out 

 the portentous importance of the subject and throwing out valuable 

 suggestions as to how the difficulties might one day be solved. 

 With his usual candour he makes further admissions of failure, 

 as when he says : 



I grant, however, that it is hard to see how change of food and treat- 

 ment can puzzle an insect into such " complex growth " as that it should 

 make a cavity in its thigh, grow an invaluable proboscis and betray a 

 practical knowledge of difficult mathematical problems. 



