612 The Reasoning Faculty of Animals. [ August, 
far for them to reach from the top, and when the hole is once bit- 
ten will always seek it; thus one individual takes advantage of 
the labor of another. They can alter the shape of the cells of 
their hive to suit circumstances? They are compelled to learn 
how to distinguish the situation of their hive when moved to a 
new place by circling round and round in the air and taking 
mental notes of its position ;3 and it is only after observation, expe- 
rience and practice, that they can fly directly to the entrance. 
Wasps learn the position of their nests in the same manner. 
They are capable of being tamed and of recognizing their 
masters,‘ as are also butterflies. In districts where some species 
of dung beetles are found, they have the habit of depositing eggs 
in pellets made of horse or cow manure; but in districts where 
sheep are kept, instead of making the pellets, the insects use the 
pellet shaped excrement of these animals. Beetles assist one 
another in their work and communicate ideas.® 
If it seems unreasonable to say that an insect, without any dis- 
tinct brain and nothing but a system of ganglia, can reason 1M 
such a manner, we might ask, what do you know about 
mental powers of insects? How can we gauge their sight an f 
compare it with ours, when their eyes have often hundreds 0 
facets ?7 Or know aught of their feelings when we know that 
some feel with their antenne?§ Or anything about their hear- 
ing, when some hear with their antenne, some with their un’ 
legs, and some with their wings? We don’t know anything meer 
it, and perhaps never will. ge 
Many stories are told of the actions of toads. They ca “il 
easily tamed, will feed out of one’s hand, and come at a Cal 
Here is an anecdote of one. A lady was sitting in @ en, 
1 Huber, Linn. Trans., vi, 222, quoted by Kirby and Spence, l. c., 1, 516. Dare 
win, ibid, pp. 426, et seq. 
? Kirby and Spence, |. c., 11, 475-489. 
* Huber, Recherches, p. 100, quoted by Kirby and Spence, I. ¢., I, P- 529 
4 Sir John Lubbock’s tame wasp has become historical. 
5 Kirby and Spence, loc, cit., 11, 469, quoted from Sturm’s Deutschland’s Faun 
I, 27. 
§ Kirby and Spence, loc. cit., 11, 519, quoted from J//iger’s Mag., 1, 488. 
7™« The number of facets or cornex vary from 50 (in the ant) to 3650, the cn 
number being counted by Geoffroy in the eye of a butterfly.” Packard, 1, Gey Pe 79° 
8 Packard, loc. cit., p. 26, 
® Wallace, Contributions, loc, cit.,.p. 202, 
