THE BEE, 141 



Now, as each of these weapons must be wielded in 

 a particular way, is it not quite obvious that the 

 owners must be taught how to employ them ? or, in 

 other words, must they not all possess varying powers 

 of mind, to enable them to attain the same end by 

 different means? Is it reasonable to suppose that 

 one and the same impulse or psychical endowment, 

 implanted in the Spider and iu the Bee, will cause the 

 former to weave its web and wait patiently for the 

 approach of its prey, and the other to fly off to distant 

 meadows or gardens, and there penetrate the nectaries 

 of flowers in search of honey ? Would it be wise to 

 assume that both these instincts resemble, in their 

 psychical character, the imperfect faculty whereby the 

 Actinia is prompted to extend and retract its ten- 

 tacles ? Certainly not. Such a theory would be just 

 as absurd as to suppose that the same powers of mind 

 as those which direct the Bee and other insects iu 

 the use of their natural implements would suf&ce to 

 enable man to deal with all subjects in connexion 

 with the arts and sciences. 



When we contemplate the mode in which the vari- 

 ous insects employ their exquisitely constructed iu- 

 struments, of widely differing character, we cannot 

 help perceiving that the Creator has endowed each of 

 these His creatures with a circumscribed mental capa- 

 city j but, at the same time, one that enables it to 

 perform its complicated operations to the best advan- 

 tage. Nor must we forget that not only has He 

 centred in i« all these psychical endowments, placing 



