The Origin of Species Chapter 7: Instinct by Charles Darwin
Instincts comparable with habits, but different in their origin
- Instincts graduated - Aphides and ants - Instincts variable -
Domestic instincts, their origin - Natural instincts of the
cuckoo, ostrich, and parasitic bees - Slave-making ants - Hive-
bee, its cell-making instinct - Difficulties on the theory of
the Natural Selection of instincts - Neuter or sterile insects -
Summary he subject of instinct might have been worked into the
previous chapters; but I have thought that it would be more
convenient to treat the subject separately, especially as so
wonderful an instinct as that of the hive-bee making its cells
will probably have occurred to many readers, as a difficulty
sufficient to overthrow my whole theory. I must premise, that I
have nothing to do with the origin of the primary mental powers,
any more than I have with that of life itself. We are concerned
only with the diversities of instinct and of the other mental
qualities of animals wi