VARIATIONS OF INSTINCT. 345 



as disabler of her caterpillars, that we have quoted the above 

 relation, assuming it, as affirmed, to be plus vrai que vrai- 

 semblable. The owl's measure of precaution was one which 

 owls do not usually adopt, and if, as this would imply, resorted 

 to on experience, it proved him most undoubtedly a reasoning 

 owl. The wasp, in a proceeding somewhat similar, only does 

 that which all wasps of the same species have done before and 

 will do after her, and that on the very first occasion which calls 

 for their maternal care in the furnishing of their nursery 

 larders. In this, therefore, we can only look upon her as a 

 wasp instinct- guided. 



The practice of ants to rear aphides for the future consump- 

 tion of the sweets they furnish, bears equally the character of 

 instinctive prescience. 



Other operations in the insect world which can scarcely be 

 referred to the promptings of reason, are yet made greatly to 

 resemble those of reasoning agents, by their occasional devia- 

 tion from the usual track or mode of performance. This has 

 been instanced in the blow-fly, when, through instinct, guided, 

 misled rather, by her sense of smell, she commits her eggs to 

 the inhospitable keeping of fetid stapelias, or of paper con- 

 taining meat. 



Instinct can also on occasion vary as well as err ; often dis- 

 playing, among insects, its capability of accommodating itself, 

 like reason, to circumstances. This is continually exemplified 

 in the case of caterpillars, which, when confined to a box, will 



