The Life of the Bee 



consciousness, beyond the protozoa even, 

 which are the first nebulous representatives 

 of the dawning animal kingdom, we find, 

 ^s has been abundantly proved by the ex- 

 periments of Mr. H. J. Carter, the cele- 

 brated microscopist, that the very lowest 

 embryos, such as the myxomycetes, mani- 

 fest a will and desires and preferences ; 

 and that infusoria, which apparently have 

 no organism whatever, give evidence of a 

 certain cunning. The Amoebae, for in- 

 stance, will patiently lie in wait for the 

 new-born Acinetes, as they leave the ma- 

 ternal ovary ; being aware that these must 

 as yet be lacking their poisonous tentacles. 

 Now, the Amoebse have neither a nervous 

 system nor distinguishable organs of any 

 kind. Or if we turn to the plants, which, 

 being motionless, would seem exposed to 

 every fatality, — without pausing to con- 

 sider carnivorous species like the Drusera, 

 which really act as animals, — we are struck 

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