THEIR RELATION TO EACH OTHER 129 



about the nests. The ants seem to pay Uttle attention 

 to any save a few Lycaenid larvae that have glandular 

 structures producing attractive secretions. A few 

 species of small crickets and other Orthopiera help to 

 swell the list of guests, and several fly larvs occur. 

 Some of these inhabitants steal the supplies gathered 

 by the owners of the nest, and against these relentless 

 war is waged whenever the ants recognize them; but 

 there are curiosities in ant intelligence which, in 

 some cases, seems to amount to downright stupidity, 

 and which prevents them from recognizing the thieves 

 in the most vulnerable stage. Perhaps the worst 

 thieves in the formicaries of large species are other, 

 much smaller ants that run their narrow galleries so 

 as to tap the larger tunnels, and when they are de- 

 tected stealing disappear into their own streets into 

 which the larger form cannot follow. There are also 

 direct parasites adapted to live in such communities 

 without recognition, but only mere mention can be 

 made of these. There is a good deal of human nature 

 in an ant city and the history of what takes place in 

 such a city has been written most accurately and en- 

 tertainingly by Dr. Wheeler, who is on terms of most 

 intimate acquaintance with these species. 



