PREFACE. 
—+e-—- 
THis volume contains the record of various experiments 
made with ants, bees, and wasps during the past ten 
years. Other occupations and many interruptions, 
political and professional, have prevented me from 
making them so full and complete as I had hoped. 
My parliamentary duties, in particular, have absorbed 
most of my time just at the season of year when these 
insects can be most profitably studied. I have, there- 
fore, whenever it seemed necessary, carefully recorded 
the month during which the observations were made; 
for the instincts and behaviour of ants, bees, and wasps 
are by no means the same throughout the year. My 
object has been not so much to describe the usual 
habits of these insects as to test their mental condition 
and powers of sense. 
