INVERTEBRATAj CRYPTOGAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. CI 3 



across, — facts which cause the observer to conclude that the striae 

 are true fibrils, and not mere folds of sarcolemma. The author also 

 found several planes of fibrils mthin a single cone. In other cases 

 the fibrils, injured probably by reagents, were replaced by rows of 

 granules. 



The author maintains, against Eanvier, the normal occurrence of 

 true muscular waves. In the passage from the state of repose to that 

 of complete contraction several phases may be observed. First, the 

 intermediate disks ( =-^ Zwischenscheiben) and the accessory disks 

 (= Nebenschciben) become less and less distinct, then quite dis- 

 appear ; the borders of the transverse disks ( = Querscheiben) are 

 gradually obscured and form two black streaks (Contractionscheiben 

 of Nasse) limiting the isotropic substance ; the clear median disk 

 (= Mittelscheibe) slowly retires from view and is replaced by an 

 obscure line, which during further contraction vanishes in its turn. 

 The " Contractionscheiben," formed by the two primitive anisotropic 

 disks, approach and fuse into a single dark disk. In full contraction 

 alternating dark and clear disks can alone be seen. The contrac- 

 tions which begin in the regions supplied by Doyere's cones proceed 

 in opposite directions along the intervening portions of the muscular 

 fibre. 



Habits of Ants. — Sir John Lubbock has laid before the Linnean 

 Society * the results of his further observations on this subject. 



The paper commences by an account of fresh experiments on the 

 powers of communication of ants. Among others, a dead bluebottle 

 fly was pinned down, and after vain efforts at removal the selected 

 ant hied home, and emerged with friends who slowly, and evidently 

 incredulously, followed their guide. The latter starting off at a great 

 pace distanced them, and they returned, again, however, to be in- 

 formed, come out, and at length be coaxed to tlie prey. In the several 

 experiments with different species of ants and under varied circum- 

 stances, these seem to indicate the possession by ants of soraething 

 approaching language. It is impossible to doubt that the friends 

 were brought out by the first ant, and as she returned empty-handed 

 to the nest the others cannot have been induced to follow merely by 

 observing her proceedings. Hence the conclusion tbat they possess 

 the power of requesting their friends to come and help them. 



For other experiments testing the recognition of relations, although 

 the old ants had absolutely never seen the young ones until the 

 moment, some days after arriving at maturity, that they were intro- 

 duced into the nest, yet in all cases they were undoubtedly recognized 

 as belonging to the community. It would seem, therefore, to bo 

 established that the recognition of ants is not personal and individual, 

 and tbat tlieir harmony is not due to the fact that each ant is 

 acquainted with every other member of the community. It woukl 

 further apj)ear from the fact that they recognize tlieir friends even 

 when intoxicated, and that they know the young born in their own 

 nest, even when they have been brought out of the chrysalis by 



* Juno 17. — Not yet piihlislicd. 



