A gentleman, while reading the newspaper, feeling bothered by
the buzzing of a wasp about his head, beat it down. It fell
through the open window and lay on the sill as if dead. A few
seconds afterward, to his great surprize, a large wasp flew
on to the window-sill, and after buzzing around his wounded
brother for a few minutes, began to lick him all over. The sick
wasp seemed to revive under this treatment, and his friend then
gently dragged him to the edge, grasped him round the body and
flew away with him. It was plain that the stranger, finding a
wounded comrade, gave him “first aid,” as well as he could, and
then bore him away home. This is one of many cases in which the
law of altruism is traceable in the world of living things below
man. How much more should intelligent man exercise this spirit
of helpfulness in the rescue of his fallen brother.
(73)