152 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 
ing the sand from the interior, till it completes its pit to the imparting warmth to the inclosed little ones, but, in attempt- 
bottom or apex. It is indefatigable in its labours, and re- ing this, the comb tottered so violently, that the scheme 
lieves the leg which it uses as a shovel to load its head, by was almost impracticable. To remedy this inconvenience, 
working through each successive circle in an opposite direc- and to make the comb steady, they had recourse to a most 
tion, and thus exercising each leg alternately, always work- ingenious expedient. Two or three bees got upon the 
ing with the one next the centre. When it meets with comb, stretched themselves over its edge, and with their 
stones too large to be jerked from its head, it contrives to heads downwards, fixed their fore-feet on the table upon 
get them poised upon its back, and if in ascending the sides which it stood, whilst with their hind-feet they kept it from 
of the pit, the stone should be again precipitated, in renew- falling. In this constrained and painful posture, fresh bees 
ing its attempt to carry it up, it avails itself of the channel relieving their comrades when weary, did these affectionate 
made by the falling stone, as a road, against the sides of little insects support the comb for nearly three days! at the 
which it can support and direct its load in the ascent. Sta- end of this period they had prepared a sufficiency of wax, 
tioned at the bottom of its little pit, if an Ant should stum- with which they built pillars that kept it in a firm position: 
ble over the margin it hastens the descent and capture of its but by some accident afterwards these got displaced, when 
prey by the fall of little loads of sand which it jerks in they had again recourse to their former manoeuvre for sup- 
quick succession upon the escaping insect. All this how- plying their place, and this operation they perseveringly 
ever is surpassed by the Termites , whose nests are formed continued, until M. Huber, pitying their hard case, relieved 
of clay, and are as large as huts, being generally of no less them by fixing the object of their attention firmly on the 
a height than twelve feet, and broad in proportion, and table. 
which when in clusters resemble an Indian village, and may “It is impossible,” the authors remark, “not to be 
at a distance be mistaken for one. The interior of one of struck with the reflection that this most singular fact is in- 
these structures presents a most surprising skill and intelli- explicable on the supposition that insects are impelled to 
gence, both in the construction and appropriation. The their operations by a blind instinct alone. How could mere 
apartments, avenues, and communications, consisting of machines have thus provided for a case, which in a state of 
vaulted chambers, built of various materials, galleries con- nature has probably never occurred to ten nests of Humble- 
structed spirally for the facility of ascent, arches or bridges Bees since the creation? If, in this instance, these little 
of communication, said to be projected, not excavated, are animals were not guided by a process of reasoning, what is 
appropriated for royal and other apartments, nurseries, the distinction between reason and instinct? How could 
magazines, &c. No one can surely contemplate the gigan- the most profound architect have better adapted the means 
tic, and at the same time scientific, operations of these won- to the end — how more dexterously shored up a tottering 
derful creatures, — which yet are scarcely the fourth of an edifice, until his beams and his props were in readiness ?” 
inch in length, — without feeling struck by the manifesta- A process of reasoning, or intellectual deduction, is here 
tion of an agency far above the discrimination of the sub- certainly incontrovertible, but this, at the same time, is so 
jects in whose actions it is presented, and whose economy much beyond the nature and condition of the creature, that 
is justly characterized as “ a miracle of nature.” we cannot suppose it performed within its proper conscious- 
But the operations of an intelligence in the conduct of the ness. What, then, in this case, and if in this case, in 
insect race, superior to the conscious faculties of the creature, every other, is the distinction between reason and instinct? 
is made still more manifest by its appearance not only in It is, I apprehend, this: reason is a deduction of intellect 
what has been called blind instinct, — which term itself, within the conscious perception of the subject whose actions 
rightly interpreted, must imply the existence of controlling exhibit it: — instinct is a similar deduction of intellect, not 
influences, — but also by its development in strictly contin- within, but above the conscious perception of the subject 
gent acts, affording evidences of the same intelligent de- whose actions exhibit it. For a consciousness of possess- 
sign and adaptation, in agreement with what such particular ing and exercising such intelligence cannot exist without 
circumstances require. That such do really occur, the fol- elevating its subject to that intellectual freedom which is 
lowing extract will satisfactorily demonstrate: the proper and distinguishing characteristic of human ra- 
“ In the course of his ingenious and numerous experi- tionality. 
ments, M. Huber put under a bell glass about a dozen Hum- If we ascend to the higher classes of animals, fewer in- 
ble-Bees, without any store of wax, along with a comb of about stances occur of those operations which include in them 
ten silken cocoons, so unequal in height, that it was impossi- principles of science; and the actions of this character 
ble the mass should stand firmly. Its unsteadiness disquieted which are to be observed among such animals, do not appear 
the Humble-Bees extremely. Their affection for their to arise from a conscious free principle, but to be the result 
young led them to mount upon the cocoons, for the sake of of a dictation, similar to that by which the operations of the 
