Bramble-bees and Others 



insect's mentality; the distinction, that is, be- 

 tween instinct and discernment. If people 

 confuse these two provinces, as they nearly 

 always do, any understanding becomes impos- 

 sible; the last glimmer of light disappears be- 

 hind the clouds of Interminable discussions. 

 From an Industrial point of view, let us look 

 upon the insect as a worker thoroughly versed 

 from birth In a craft whose essential princi- 

 ples never vary; let us grant that unconscious 

 worker a gleam of intelligence which will per- 

 mit It to extricate Itself from the inevitable 

 conflict of attendant circumstances; and I 

 think that we shall have come as near to the 

 truth as the state of our knowledge will allow 

 for the moment. 



Having thus assigned a due share both to 

 instinct and the aberrations of Instinct when 

 the course of Its different phases is disturbed, 

 let us see what discernment Is able to do in 

 the selection of a site for the nest and mate- 

 rials for building It; and, leaving the 

 Pelopaeus, upon whom It Is useless to dwell 

 any longer, let us consider other examples, 

 picked from among those richest in variations. 



The Mason-Bee of the Sheds {Chali- 

 codoma rufitarsis, Perez) Vv^ell deserves the 



200 



