The Life of the Bee 
conscious, undivided force in the act of 
ensnaring other forms of itself. Shall we 
on that account refuse to believe that 
these snares are pure accidents, occurring 
in accordance with a routine that is also 
incidental? We are not yet entitled to 
such a deduction. It might be urged 
that these flowers, had these miraculous 
combinations not been, would not have 
survived, but would have had their place 
filled by others that stood in no need of 
crossed fertilisation; and the non-exist- 
ence of the first would have been per- 
ceived by none, nor would the life that 
vibrates on the earth have seemed less in- 
comprehensible to us, less diverse, or less 
astounding. 
And yet it would be difficult not to ad- 
mit that acts which bear all the appearance 
of acts of intelligence and prudence pro- 
duce and support these fortunate chances. 
Whence do they issue, — from the being 
288 
