SCIENTIFIC SUMMAET. 
333 
attempted to throw upon Kiihne’s conclusions with regard to the red colour 
of mammalian muscular tissue were rendered of less significance than before.” 
Then follows a long series of researches by Mr. Lankester himself, which are 
llustrated by an excellent plate. — [Over from the last Number of P. S. E,.] 
The Honey-mahmg Ant of North Mexico . — A paper on this subject has 
been read before the Academy of Sciences, Philadelphia, on April 21, by 
Mr. Edwards. The community is divided into three classes — the workers, 
arriers, and the honey-makers. The workers are much larger than the 
others, and of a black colour ; they guard the nest and convey to it the 
materials from which the honey is made ; these they deposit in a leaf over 
the centre of the nest, and from this leaf it is transported by the carriers to 
he honey-makers in the interior of the nest. The carriers are much smaller 
than the workers, and of a light brown colour. The honey-makers resemble 
the carriers in size and colour, with the exception of the enlarged abdomen. 
They are found in the centre of the nest, generally at a depth of two or 
three feet from the surface. They are supported on a sort of web made of 
closely woven fibres. Each ant occupies a superficial indentation in the 
web in which it remains. In fact, all locomotion in the honey-makers 
is impossible, as the distended abdomen, which constitutes the honey-bag, 
is at least twenty times as large as the rest of the body. The honey is of a 
fine flavour, and much sought after by the natives. 
What are Instinctive Actions f — This is really, to the thoughtful man, who 
is learned on the subject, the most intensely difficult question. A paper on 
t his question appears, from the pen of Mr. George Henry Lewis, in ‘^Nature,” 
April 10, and is well worthy of perusal. He (Mr. Lewis) states, among 
other things, that the fact that we require some character to distinguish the 
instinctive from the impulsive actions, may be readily shown. No one calls 
breathing, secretion, excretion, &c., instincts. Yet these are the actions of 
congenital tendencies in the organism. “ A hungry chick,” says Mr. 
Spalding, that never tasted food, is able, on seeing a fly or spider for the 
first time, to bring into action muscles that never were so exercised before, 
and to perform a series of delicately adjusted movements that end in the 
capture of the insect.” Every one would pronounce this a typical case of 
instinct. Now compare with it the following, which no one would class 
among the instincts : A new-born animal that has never breathed before is 
able, on first feeling the stimulus of the atmosphere, to bring into action a 
very complicated group of muscles which never were so exercised before, 
and to perform a series of delicately adjusted movements which end in the 
aeration and circulation of the blood. This contrast may lead us to the 
character sought. Understanding that every line of demarcation in psy- 
chical phenomena must be more or less arbitrary, and only justified by its 
convenience, we may draw such a line between impulse and instinct. Im- 
pulses are the actions which from the first were fatal, inevitable, being 
simply the direct reflex of the stimulated organs. Given the respiratory 
organs and the atmosphere, respiration is the inevitable result. Given the 
secretory organ and the plasma, secretion is the inevitable result. There is 
no choice, the action either takes place or it does not. 
The Lemurs not related to the Apes. — Professor Milne Edwards has made 
an important discovery. It seems that he has prosecuted an extensive series 
