The Life of the Bee 



conscious, undivided force in the act of 

 ensnaring other forms of itself. Shall we 

 on that account refuse to believe that 

 these snares are pure accidents, occurring 

 in accordance with a routine that is also 

 incidental ? We are not yet entitled to 

 such a deduction. It might be urged 

 that these flowers, had these miraculous 

 combinations not been, would not have 

 survived, but would have had their place 

 filled by others that stood in no need of 

 crossed fertilisation ; and the non-exist- 

 ence of the first would have been per- 

 ceived by none, nor would the life that 

 vibrates on the earth have seemed less in- 

 comprehensible to us, less diverse, or less 

 astounding. 



And yet it would be difficult not to ad- 

 mit that acts which bear all the appearance 

 of acts of intelligence and prudence pro- 

 duce and support these fortunate chances. 

 Whence do they issue, from the being 

 288 



