OF NATURAL HISTORY. 425 



from the hive, compelled, by the mechanical prefTure of muhitudes 

 to aflume a certain arrangement, and all of them to adt in the fame 

 manner? Can any animal be poflefled of more liberty, or be more 

 free from mechanical reftraint, than a bee while roaming at large in 

 the fields ? Befides, What ihould force a bee, while wallowing in 

 luxury, to return fo repeatedly to the hive with no other view than 

 to feed its companions, or to furnifh them with materials for their 

 work ? Here every idea of mechanical impulfe is utterly excluded. 

 That bees, as well as other animals, are adtuated by motives, or im- 

 pulfes, it is willingly allowed. But thefe are not mechanical impul- 

 fes. They are the wife and irrefiftible impulfes of Nature upon their 

 minds. If bees did not aflociate, and mutually aflift one another in 

 their various operations, the fpecies would foon be annihilated. Not 

 one of them, it is probable, would furvive the firft winter. But Na- 

 ture, ever folicitous for the prefervation of her produdtions, has en- 

 dowed their minds with an aflbciating principle, and with inftinds 

 which ftimulate them to perform all thofe wonderful operations that 

 are neceflary for the exiftence of individuals, and the continuation of 

 the fpecies. 



What are called the common caterpillars afford an inftance of pro- 

 per afTociation. About the middle of fummer, a butterfly depofits 

 from three to four hundred eggs on the leaf of a tree, from each of 

 which, in a few days, a young caterpillar proceeds. They are no 

 fooner hatched than they begin to form a common habitation. They 

 fpin filken threads, which they attach to one edge of the leaf, and 

 extend them to the other. By this operation they make the two 

 edges of the leaf approach each other, and form a cavity refembling 

 a hammock. In a ihort time, the concave leaf is completely roofed 

 with a covering of filk. Under this tent the animals live together 

 in mutual friendfhip and harmony. When not difpofed to eat or to 

 fpin, they retire to their tent. It requires feveral of thefe habitations 

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