280 HENRY C. MCCOOK. 



cough and expectorate against the trunk in the very track of the de- 

 Bcending ants. The moisture was immediately surrounded by ants who 

 lapped it up greedily. Following this suggestion, I procured spring- 

 water and dampened the tree-path, placing some also at the foot of the 

 tree in a wooden insect-box. Quite an excitement ensued. The ants 

 eagerly took the water; some clustered over the damp bark, some sur- 

 rounded the drops gathered in the crevices, some hung upon the edge 

 and sides of the box absorbing the water from the saturated wood. 

 One ant, whom I particularly observed, hung by the second and third 

 pairs of legs and throwing her head far over into the box drank long. 

 An ant coming up the tree from this trough with minute globules of 

 moisture adhering to the maxillae and thorax, was rudely seized and 

 the water lapped off by one and another of her comrades. Two ants 

 were observed imparting the water to others in the manner of repletes 

 to pensioners. This experiment was tried at another tree, with the same 

 results, except that the water was not taken quite so eagerly. It 

 occurred to me that this thirst might have resulted from the long 

 separation of the workers from the hills while foraging upon the trees. 

 I therefore made a similar test at three separate hills. In no case was 

 the water received with any show of thirst. Numbers of ants came 

 up, tested, but evidently did not taste it, and turned away. This was 

 the well nigh invariable rule, a very few exceptions being noted. These 

 facts point, first, to the conclusion that the worker ants re(|uire water, 

 perhaps quite constantly; and second, to the inference that the ordi- 

 nary water supply is located in the vicinity of the hills. 



Recogrnition of Fellows.— During the above investigation I was 

 accidentally set upon the truck of an interesting discovery. An ant 

 fell into a box containing water placed at the foot of a tree. She 

 remained in the liquid several moments and crept out. Immediately 

 she was seized in a hostile manner, first by one, then another, then by 

 a third. The two antennae and one leg were thus held. A fourth ant 

 assaulted the middle thorax and petiole. The poor little bather was 

 thus dragged helplessly to and fro for a long time and was evidently 

 ordained to death. Presently I took up the struggling heap. Two of 

 the assailants kept their hold; one finally dropped, the other I could 

 not tease loose, and so put the pair back upon the tree leaving the 

 doomed immersionist to her hard fate. 



A number of experiments were now made at the hills For example, 

 thrusting a finger near an entrance, a sentinel instantly leaped upon 

 and fastened herself to it. She was submerged in a cup of water, 



