SOCIETIES. 



83 



end, when they sank rapidly. Also when removed to the damp-nest 

 they remained for a considerable time in the same state, but once 

 recovery began it was rapid. In some cases they remained for over 

 two days in this inert state before they showed signs of recovering, yet 

 on the third day they were quite lively, I find that they are all more 

 or less paralysed in the antenna?, this part being, as a rule, the last to 

 recover; indeed, the whole of the front portion of the ant seems to 

 break down, one ant (J) which had been in the damp nest for 16 hours 

 could make little use of its front left leg, yet the rest of its anatomj' 

 seemed to be in order ; again, another ant (E) which had been in the 

 damp nest for over 24 hours seemed to have lost the use of the whole 

 of the front portion of its body, its head was doubled up under it, and 

 when it moved it did so by pushing with its hindlegs. I also noticed 

 that when the end is drawing near, their hindlegs are stuck up straight 

 in the air (I have sometimes noticed the same thing with ants killed in 

 laurel) Somewhat similar experiments are referred to by Miss A. M. 

 Field in an article in the Biohuiical Bulletin, vol. 8, No. 6, 1904, pp. 

 300-309, and in the same publication No. 3, 1904, pp. 170-174. 



Notes on individual Ants. — A. — This ant certainly ought to have 

 been removed at least 15 hours before it was, when 1 think it might 

 have recovered, I was awaj' at the time and believe the ant was dead 

 some considerable time before its removal. 



D. — -This Ant is of particular interest, it partially recovered after 

 being three days in the damp nest, the nest was then again damped, 

 by being placed in a plate containing water, when the ant started to 

 behave as though in pain, wildly waving its legs and rolling about (C. 

 which was in the nest at the same time, remained motionless). It was 

 then noticed that both antennae were sharply bent at the elbow, thus 

 L, and that it had apparently lost the use of them, also nearly the 

 whole of the top of the abdomen was caved in. I then clipped its 

 spines (in doing which I fear I must have injured it) and placed it 

 back in its own nest, two days after I was unable to ascertain whether 

 it was alive or not, but for the last two days an ant had apparently got 

 hold of it where its spines were, but did not attempt to carry it about. 

 On the morning of the 17th I found it stretched out on its back, dead, 

 with no ant attending it. On the 16th the abdomen was tucked up 

 under it, so I conclude it must have then been alive. The right 

 antenna had straightened out, but the left remained as before, and the 

 dent in the abdomen was the same. 



K. — I think the very quick recovery of this ant (for after being in 

 the damp nest for five hours it was quite lively) shows that it could 

 have remained some time longer in the tube and still have recovered. 



G. — This ant suddenly recovered from being nearly dead to a very 

 lively state. The difference in the time that this ant and its nest mate 

 (J) took to recover should be noted. 



E. — This ant died on the morning of the 23rd. 



F. — When this ant was removed from the tube it showed no visible 

 signs of life. 



SOCIETIES. 



Entomolooical Society of London. — ( ktuher 16th, 1912. — The 

 following were elected Fellows of the Society: — Mrs. E. M. Waterfield, 



