Bramble-bees and Others 



Insect capable of modification ? No, decidedly 

 not, if the habit in question belongs to the 

 province of instinct; yes, if it belongs to that 

 of discernment. Let us state this fundamental 

 distinction more precisely by the aid of a few 

 examples. 



The Pelopaeus builds her cells with earth 

 already softened, with mud. Here we have 

 Instinct, the unalterable characteristic of the 

 worker. She has always built in this way and 

 always will. The passing ages will never 

 teach her, neither the struggle for life nor the 

 law of selection will ever induce her to imi- 

 tate the Mason-bee and collect dry dust for 

 her mortar. This mud nest needs a shelter 

 against the rain. The hiding-place under a 

 stone suffices at first. But should she find 

 something better, the potter takes possession 

 of that something better and instals herself 

 In the home of man,^ There we have dis- 

 cernment, the source of some sort of capacity 

 for improvement. 



The Pelopaeus supplies her larvae with pro- 

 visions in the form of Spiders. There you 

 have instinct. The climate, the longitude or 



^The Pelopaeus builds in the fire-places of houses. — 

 Translator's Note. 



196 



