INTRODUCTION. 35 



crush by the dozen as we walk, and of whose marvellous 

 instincts Darwin has lately treated so impressively. Who 

 among our readers has not read Darwin's renowned book 

 on the " Origin of Species," and studied with astonish- 

 ment his observations on the so-called slave-making instinct 

 of ants ? The striking facts were indeed known long before 

 Darwin, and were accurately observed and made public by 

 the Genevan, P. Huber, at the beginning of this century. 

 But great as was the interest aroused by these publications, 

 they yet did not meet with the full and free acceptance from 

 the educated world deserved by their nature, owing to the 

 fact that man was still at that time quite under the yoke of 

 the oft-named prejudice touching the intellectual life of 

 animals. Now it is different, and Darwin's observations on 

 the slavery-instinct have specially aroused great interest, 

 because an institution is there concerned which has played, 

 and partially still plays, a large part in human culture 

 and development. But before we can speak of this we must 

 first deal with other matters concerning this wonderful 

 insect and its political, social and domestic arrangements 

 and customs. 



