RAIDS OF THE AMAZON ANTS 19 



It will be borne in mind that, apart from the repro- 

 ductive " queens," the actively militarist creatures 

 we are concerned with here are all non-reproductive 

 females, the so-called "workers." 



A notable step was taken by Emery in 1908 and 

 1909 namely, the starting of an experimental 

 nest. He introduced a fertilized queen Amazon 

 into one of M. Charles Janet's formicaria which 

 was inhabited by a colony of Brown Ants. One of 

 the first events was that the Amazon queen slew 

 the Brown queen, and was enthroned in her stead. 

 In the course of two years we must omit the 

 details Professor Emery had a flourishing colony, 

 consisting of Amazons who had never been outside 

 the walls and a serviceable number of Brown slaves. 

 The importance of the experiment is evidently that 

 it shows how a mixed colony of Amazons and 

 auxiliaries may arise. In the early days of the 

 colony in question the slaves treated the Amazons 

 as if they were pets; they would not let them 

 even take an airing in the illumined part of the 

 formicarium, and if one escaped it was quickly 

 brought indoors again. By and by, however, 

 the Amazons became more numerous and fidgety 

 ("remuantes "), and one after another set out on 

 scouting expeditions. When we remember that 

 they were exploring a new world we cannot 

 but be amazed that a solitary scout, discovering 

 a nest of Brown Ants, should forthwith enter, 

 attack the crowd of workers, seize a cocoon, and 

 carry it home. Instinct must have its way. 



