AND THEIR REAL NATURE. Ill 



there are in a hive of bees, individuals v^^hich are era- 

 ployed almost wholly in the feeding of the larvae [Fiit- 

 ferer, foragers,) whilst others do scarcely anything else 

 than collect wax and build cells {workers.) In anthills, 

 one set of the feeders is constantly employed in conveying 

 the larvae from one place to another, according as they 

 require a greater or less degree of warmth, &c., whilst 

 others are engaged in building the passages or earth cells, 

 and in making excavations around the habitation. Among 

 the Termites also we are acquainted with several forms of 

 " feeders," constituting particular tribes or classes ; the 

 description of labour however, which each of these classes 

 performs, is unknown ; it is known, however, that a form 

 with a large head and strong jaws, is always posted at 

 the entrance of the artificially constructed dwelling, and 

 keeps guard there as soon as any disturbance is remarked, 

 and thus constitutes the safeguard not only of the young 

 but of the whole community. 



Now, in the cases in which the more perfect develop- 

 ment of the progeny is promoted, . either by means of 

 " mtrses"* or of '' feeders ''^ (under which latter term, 

 we understand special individuals devoted to the actual 

 care or nourishing of the young, which office they fulfil 

 by a conscious activity,) we see that nature always has 

 in view the production of a multitude of individuals 

 to whose life or care is then committed the perfect- 

 ing of a later generation or progeny, consisting of less 

 numerous individuals. This previous or preparatory 

 multitude seems to consist, invariably, of females, the 

 males being apparently excluded from any participation 

 in the office, on which account the males of all the 

 animals among which the system of '■'■nursing' or of 

 ^'feeding" obtains, constitute a very subordinate number. 

 That the "nursing' should be committed to females 

 alone appears to us very natural, since we are acquainted 

 with an organ in them whose natural function would be 



* The "nurses" (amme.) f The "feeders" (pflegerinne.) 



