Natural History of the Honeybee. 45 



Compare herewith the interesting experiments Wm. M. Wheeler has made about the hearing 

 capacity of ants already spoken of on p. 17. 133 



We obtain sure results in all these questions only by observing the conduct of the 

 insects among themselves, or at least in experiments with artificially produced tones which 

 approach those produced by the insects in question. ... 



The anthropomorphic apprehension relative to the question of consciousness has brought 

 it about that there has been ascribed to bees a consciousness similar to the human con- 

 sciousness, and accordingly the most varied human feelings. In the settling of this kind 

 of question the utmost caution must be used. On the basis of my observations I am of 

 the opinion that bees possess either no consciousness at all, or one of only the lowest 

 degree of development. The question of consciousness is left to subjective estimates; but 

 the question whether an animal learns, and can acquire experience or not, may be deter- 

 mined objectively. The question is whether, in addition to the inherited (kleronome) 

 n«rve-paths, acquired (enbiontische) associations are formed (H. E. Ziegler). We see that 

 bees show signs of an admirable memory in their orientation, and also in other activities; 134 

 further, I believe I have shown that the bee possesses a perception for color and form, 

 and develops a rich capacity for communication by means of its well-developed ' ' language ; ' ' 

 that, further, it is able to gather experiences, to learn, and to form associations of impres- 

 sions, etc. I can not agree with Bethe, therefore, in his denial that the bee has capacity to 

 gather experience, and thereby to modify its actions (see p. 3). The bee is evidently much 

 more than a reflex machine. 



Zoological Institute, Oldenburg, i. Gr., 1906. 



133 A clergyman, J. A. O'Neill, has discovered a% interesting method for catching bee-ants (Mutilla) 

 without difficulty. " This hymenopterous insect belongs to the musical ones. The male and female 

 produce a clear sound which is caused by the rubbing of a sharp ledge on the third abdominal segment 

 against a delicately furrowed triangular spot on the surface of the fourth segment. If one now finds 

 a female mutilla and places it in his hand so that it can make this schind, the males in the vicinity 

 come immediately, and are so fascinated that they sit on the hands of the capturer and can easily be 

 seized (see L. Permguey in the Jahrbuchern des Sudafrikanischen Museums; Reference in Prometheus 

 No. 540, 1900). ' 



134 ^m m Wheeler, Ethological Observations on an American Ant. Journal fur Psycholoeie and 

 Neurologic Bd. II. Heft 1 und 2. Berlin, 1903. 



135 Concerning the wonderful capacity for memory in bumble-tees. Ed. Hoffer, of Graz submits 

 an interesting communication! in " Kosmos," Zeitschr. f. d. ges. Entwicklungslehre, XVIII. Bd., p. Ill 

 Stuttgart, 1886. From that we learn that' in the bumble-bees also, memories outlast the winter. ' ' 



