THE PEEFECT SOCIALISM 57 



munal habitations, and amalgamation of interests. All 

 these conditions and more are to be found in insect 

 societies; for the social insects are uncompromising 

 Malthusians and rigorously control the increase of popu- 

 lation. We will discuss these claims in detail and see 

 how they are substantiated by the facts observed in the 

 insect world. 



Caste 



Division of labor by caste is a most interesting 

 phase of insect socialism and deserves to be considered 

 first. Our little six-footed brethren have loosed the 

 Gordian knot of division of labor through creating 

 castes more immutable than those of the Brahmins, and 

 they have solved the problems of caste by making their 

 existence a benefit to the whole society instead of to 

 the individuals belonging to the caste. This is brought 

 about by making each caste represent a division of 

 labor based upon the needs of the whole community. 

 The castes are : queens, kings, workers, and soldiers, 

 and a study of the functions of each is necessary in 

 order to understand the economy of the insect commune. 



Royalty 



The term "queen" is a misnomer among insects, for 

 they have no rulers in' their societies. The queen is 



