PHOTIC REACTIONS OF HONEY-BEE 403 



anaesthetic and in weakened or moribund conditions the photic 

 responses of bees become more intense. Photic behavior, how- 

 •ever, is probably largely reflex in character. It would appear, 

 therefore, that the same conditions which occasion a loss of 

 'memory' or other central function and the like cause the reflex 

 phases of behavior to appear more boldly. In other words bees, 

 though fundamentally reflex, may possess certain rudiments of 

 higher behavior. Under the influence of narcotics and anaes- 

 thetics or in moribund conditions, these factors cease to affect 

 behavior, and the animal is reduced to a simple reflex condition. 

 If this be correct, we have here an important variable to account 

 for modifications of photic behavior. 



3. Summary 



The variability of respdnse displayed by bees with one eye 

 blackened when creeping in non-directive light is never due to a 

 permanent loss of phototropism or to after-effects of one inten- 

 sity upon trials in a second intensity. It is attributable to the 

 following causes: 



a. Conditions of temperature and humidity. 



b. Failure to eliminate completely the photoreceptors on one 

 side of the body. 



c. Effect of contact stimulus afforded by the eye covering. 



d. Natural asymmetry of individuals. 



e. Modifiability through experience. 



/. Mechanical stimuli attendant upon manipulation. 

 g. Internal factors which affect behavior variously from time 

 to time. 



VIII. NATURE OF PHOTIC ORIENTATION 



1. Theories 



In recent years the photic behavior of lower animals has been 

 the subject of two theories, respectively known as the 'continuous 

 action theory' and the 'change of intensity theory.' The 'con- 

 tinuous action theory,' as its name implies, postulates a continu- 

 ous action of light upon the organism, orientation resulting when 



