ANTS SWARMING. 57 



note. This was made clear to me at that time, from the be- 

 haviour of the ants the first day I killed any, for on that occa- 

 sion some of them approaching the vase from below, on reaching 

 the upper edge of the mantel, peeped over, and drew back on 

 seeing what had happened about the vase, then turned away a 

 little, and after a moment tried again at another and another, 

 point along the edge, with the same result in the end. More- 

 over, those that found themselves among the dead and dying 

 went from one writhing ant to another in great haste and ex- 

 citement, exhibiting the signs of fright which I described. 



I hardly hope that any will return again, but if they do, 

 and give me an opportunity, I shall endeavour to act farther on 

 Mr. M 's suggestion. 



With this quotation I shall conclude the present division 

 of the chapter ; for, looking to all the other observations 

 previously mentioned, there can be no question concern- 

 ing the general fact that ants have the power of commu- 

 nicating with one another. And under subsequent head- 

 ings abundant additional evidence on this point will be 

 found implicated with the other facts detailed. 



Habits General in Sundry Species. 



Sivarming. The precise facts with regard to the 

 swarming of ants are not yet certainly established. As 

 regards some of the facts, however, there is no doubt. 

 The winged males and females first quit the nest in enor- 

 mous numbers, and choose some fine afternoon in July 

 or August for their wedding flight. The entrances to 

 the nest are widened by the workers and increased in 

 number, and there is a great commotion on the sur- 

 face of the nest. The swarm takes place as a thick 

 cloud of all the male and female insects, rising together 

 to a considerable height. The flight continues for 

 several hours, usually circling round some tree or 

 tower, and it is during the flight that fertilisation is 

 effected. After it is effected, the swarm returns to 

 the ground, when the males perish, either from falling 

 a prey, in their shelterless condition, to birds or spiders, 

 or, on account of not being able to feed themselves, from 

 starvation. ' The workers, or neuter ants, of their own 



