94 t'^r'ii. 



extent ; he had therefore colleetecl together all the available evidence bearing; on 

 the question. As indicating the extent of sucli observations, it was stated that 

 these records refer to a considerable number of species of both birds and butterflies, 

 as might be judged from the approximate figures given. A discussion followed, in 

 which Mr. A. W. Bncot, Mr. H Rowland-Brown, Mr. H. Main, Mr. A. E. Tonge, 

 Mr. H. M. Edelsten, Mr. J. W. Tutt, and other Felbws, gave their experiences on 

 the subject, Mr. W. K. Sharp suggesting tliat the actions of the sparrow, as a 

 domesticated bird, was not evidence for conditions which exist in the case of purely 

 natural species. Dr. T. A. Chapman suggested that the paucity of observations 

 on the point was largely due to tlie shyness of birds eating in the presence of 

 human beings. Mr. W. J Kaye said tliat he had never observed birds attacking 

 butterflies in tropical South America, and Commander J. eT. Walker gave similar 

 testimony with regard to the many Australasian and other oversea localities visited 

 by him — H. Rowland-Brown, Hon. Secretary. 



QUEENS OF LASIUS UMBRATU8, Ntl., ACCEPTED BY COLONIES 

 OF LASIUS NIGER, L. 



BY W. C. CRAWLEY. 



The following is an account of two abnormal colonies of the small 

 black ant Lasius niqer. The fiist was icept in captivity for four years, 

 and the second, which is still under observation, dates from last 

 summer. 



It has always been doubtful how new nests come into existence, 

 and though it has been proved that in certain species the $ ? are 

 able by themselves to found a nest, yet it was supposed that a fertile 

 9 might perhaps associate with workers from another nest. 



Ants, however, are almost invariably hostile to strange ? 5 of 

 the same species. Lubbock (" Ants, Bees and Wasps," 10th edition), 

 records the following experiments. An old fertile queen of Lasius 

 flavus was put into a nest (containing a queen) of the same species, and 

 was attacked. This was repeated with a different nest. Three 

 attempts were made to induce queenless nests of this species to accept 

 fertile ? ? , without success. He then enclosed a fertile ? of 

 Formica fiisca in a wire cage, as is done with bees, and put her in a 

 nest of the same species which contained no queen. After a few days, 

 on being released, she was at once attacked. In no case was he suc- 

 cessful in inducing a nest to accept a strange queen. But he found 

 that by introducing workers gradually to a ? , he succeeded eventually 

 in getting her accepted. 



In 1893 I introduced a fertile 5 to a queenless nest of Lasius 

 flavus. She was at once attacked. 



