THE AMAZONS. 487 



The dulotic instincts reach the apogee of their development in 

 Polycrgits. This ant is, however, at the same time a permanent social 

 parasite on its host, the slaves, and replete with degenerate tendencies. 

 These, in the further course of evolution, may be expected to gain the 

 upper hand, and, overwhelming and supplanting the predatory instincts, 

 lead to the peculiar conditions to be described in the next chapter. 



20 the attacks had ceased and both queens were living on friendly terms with 

 two of the workers. On the morning of July 22 the fusca queen was found 

 dead in the nest. Her head had been perforated by the mandibles of the 

 Polyergus, who was now adopted and courted by all the workers. Fig. 272 is 

 taken from a photograph of the diminutive colony that arose in this manner. 

 This experiment indicates that P. nifcsccns founds its colonies in the same 

 manner as Bothriomyrme.v (ride supra, p. 447). 



