THE V[CTORIAN NATURALIST. 109 



bearing a body, then two without a burden, then two others with 

 another dead ant, and so on until the line was extended to about 

 40 pairs, and the procession moved slowly onwards, followed by 

 a regular body of about 200 ants. Occasionally the two laden 

 ants stopped, and, laying down the dead ant, it was taken up by 

 the two walking unburdened behind them, and thus by 

 occasionally relieving each other they arrived at a sandy spot 

 near the sea. The body of ants now commenced digging with 

 their jaws a number of holes in the ground, into each of which a 

 dead ant was laid, where they now laboured on until they had 

 filled up the ants' graves. This did not quite finish the remark- 

 able circumstances attending this funeral of the ants. Some six 

 or seven of the ants had attempted to run off without performing 

 their share of the task of digging ; these were caught and brought 

 back, when they were at once attacked by the body of ants and 

 killed upon the spot ; a single grave was quickly dug, and they 

 were all dropped into it." This account was incorporated by 

 the late Mr. F. Smith in his paper before the society in 1861, 

 and is referred to by Rev. VV. F. White in his interesting and 

 instructive volume of 1895 on " Ants and Their Ways." It 

 is to be regretted that in the interval between these dates no 

 corroboration of so extraordinary a story should have been 

 obtained. 



I will merely state that if that story refers to the Red Bull it 

 finds no corroboration in my observations. I have kept a daily 

 record of the deaths of this ant extending over four months, and 

 while I have frequently watched them carrying their dead I have 

 never seen any attempt at burying them ; they usually bring them 

 to the corner of the case nearest to the light, and that portion 

 may be called the cemetery ; here they leave them, without any 

 attempt to cover them. It occasionally happens that the dead 

 bodies get covered unintentionally — as for instance, when they 

 are dropped on what may be called the general dumping ground 

 for the refuse building material. So far as the Bulls are con- 

 cerned, I have seen nothing to lead me to suppose that they 

 deliberately bury their dead, while I have seen a great deal 

 which contradicts the " De Rougemontesque " funeral procession 

 which I have quoted. When ants from opposing nests meet a 

 fight ensues, and it often happens that an ant from one nest will 

 be laid hold of by two from another nest, while a third will look 

 on and occasionally encourage its friends with its antennae. The 

 two attacking ants do not act in concord, but often pull in 

 different directions. When the strongest gets an advantage they 

 run for a time in the same direction, and this might have given 

 the idea of a procession. 



The antenna, as with all ants, is a very important portion of 

 their anatomy. The flagellum is composed of eleven joints, 



