48 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



into the water, is ' in part to be rid of them, and partly, 

 perhaps, with a view to effecting a possible cure ; for 1 

 have seen one ant carry another down the twig which 

 formed their path to the surface of the water, and, after 

 dipping it in for a minute, carry it laboriously up again, 

 and lay it in the sun to dry and recover.' 



But that some species of ants display marked signs 

 of what we may call sympathy even towards healthy com- 

 panions in distress, is proved by the following observation 

 of Mr. Belt. He writes r 1 



One day, watching a small column of these ants (i.e. 

 Eciton humata), I placed a little stone on one of them to se- 

 cure it. The next that approached, as soon as it discovered its 

 situation, ran backwards in an agitated manner, and soon com- 

 municated the intelligence to the others. They rushed to the 

 rescue ; some bit at the stone and tried to move it, others seized 

 the prisoner by the legs and tugged with such force that I 

 thought the legs would be pulled off, but they persevered until 

 they got the captive free. I next covered one up with a piece 

 of clay, leaving only the ends of its antennae projecting. It was 

 soon discovered by its fellows, which set to work immediately, 

 and by biting off pieces of the clay soon liberated it. Another 

 time I found a very few of them passing along at intervals. I 

 confined one of these under a piece of clay at a little distance 

 from the line, with his head projecting. Several ants passed it, 

 but at last one discovered it and tried to pull it out, but could 

 not. It immediately set off at a great rate, and I thought it 

 had deserted its comrade, but it had only gone for assistance, 

 for in a short time about a dozen ants came hurrying up, evi- 

 dently fully informed of the circumstances of the case, for they 

 made directly for their imprisoned comrade and soon set him 

 free. I do not see how this action could be instinctive. It was 

 sympathetic help, such as man only among the higher mam- 

 malia shows. The excitement and ardour with which they 

 carried on their unflagging exertions for the rescue of their 

 comrade could not have been greater if they had been human 

 beings. 



This observation seems unequivocal as proving fellow- 

 feeling and sympathy, so far as we can trace any analogy 

 between the emotions of the higher animals and those of 



1 The Naturalist in Nicaragua, 1874, p. 26. 



