48 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63 



in all respects except that they reacted to odors more slowly. Con- 

 trols proved that the odors themselves from the glue and beeswax- 

 vaseline mixture did not affect the reaction times. 



The preceding experiments were repeated by using ants and 

 hornets with mutilated wings and legs. When tested with the odors 

 from the oil of peppermint, oil of thyme, oil of wintergreen, honey 

 and comb, leaves and stems of pennyroyal, and formic acid from 

 other ants, four dealated females of Formica gave a reaction time of 

 2.89 seconds. The reaction time for winged females of the same 

 species is 2.45 seconds. The niches from which wings of these four 

 females arises were examined. In seven of the eight niches, pores 

 were seen. 



All four wings of each of 25 virgin females of Formica were pulled 

 off. When tested with the above six odors, these ants gave a reaction 

 time of 2.85 seconds. After an examination it was found that 62 

 per cent of the detached wings had broken off' just beyond the groups 

 of pores, thus the pores on only 38 per cent of the wings were lost. 

 When the wings are shed naturally only 21 per cent of the pores 

 are lost, while 79 per cent are not prevented from functioning, be- 

 cause the wings devoid of pores always break off at a weak place 

 in the chitin just distal to the groups of pores. Furthermore, sec- 

 tions through the stubs of the wings of dealated females show that 

 the sense cells are normal. 



The wings of 7 males of Formica were pulled off. When tested 

 with the six odors, these ants gave a reaction time of 3.50 seconds, 

 while the reaction time for the same ants before the wings were 

 pulled off is 2.63 seconds. They were normal in all respects other 

 than their slowness in responding to odors. Only 8 per cent of 

 the pores belonging to the wings were left intact while 92 per cent 

 were pulled off with the wings. 



The bases of the wings of 25 winged females of Formica were 

 covered with liquid glue and the pores on the legs were covered with 

 the beeswax-vaseline mixture. Confined singly these ants were not 

 able to remove the glue, but they did remove much of the vaseline 

 and smeared some of it over their spiracles, which certainly accounts 

 for their short lives. When tested, they gave a reaction time of 5.21 

 seconds, which is slightly more than twice the reaction time for their 

 unmutilated sister females. 



* When tested, 25 dealated females of Camponotus gave a reaction 

 time of 3.25 seconds. Their wing niches were filled with liquid glue 

 thus covering the pores on the stubs of the wings, and the pores 



