INVERTEBRATA, ORYPTOQAMIA, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 615 



evidently was surprised at tlie result on arrival at tlie spot wlicre the 

 food had previously been. 



To ascertain whether ants make sounds audible to one another 

 the use of the telephone was resorted to, but the results were negative. 

 These experiments may not be conclusive, for the plate of the tele- 

 phone may be too stiff to be set in vibration by any sounds which the 

 ants produced. 



As opposed to the opinion expressed by M. Dewitz, Sir J. Lubbock 

 regards the ancestral ant as having been aculeate, and that the rudi- 

 mentary condition of the sting in Formica is due to atrophy, perhaps 

 attributable to disuse. 



A ground-plan of the nest of Lasius niger is given, which exhibits 

 an intricate, narrow, and winding entrance-passage ; the main nest 

 cavity is further supported by pillars, and here and there by islands ; 

 protected recesses obtain, evidently strategical retreats in times of 

 danger. 



Studying the relations and treatment of the aphides, or plant-lice 

 of the ants. Sir John clearly demonstrates that not only are the aphides 

 kept and protected in the ants' nests, but the eggs of ApMs laid out- 

 siiie on the leaf-stalks of its food-plant in Octobei', when exjiosed to 

 risks of weather, are carefully brought by the ants into their nests, 

 and afterwards tended by them during the long winter moutlis until 

 March, when the young ones are again brought out and jilaced on the 

 young vegetable shoots. This proves prudential motives, for though 

 our native ants may not lay up such great supplies of winter stores 

 of food as do some of those found abroad, they thus nevertheless take 

 the means to enable them to procure food during the following 

 summer. The fact of European ants not generally laying up 

 abundant stores may be due to the nature of their food. Insects 

 and small animals form portions of their food, and these cannot 

 always be kept fresh. They may also not have learnt the art of 

 building vessels for their honey, probably because their young are 

 not kept in cells like those of the honey-bee, and their pupfe do not 

 construct cocoons like those of the humble-bee. Relatively to their 

 size our English ants nevertheless store proportionally; for if tho 

 little brown garden ants be watched milking their aphides, a marked 

 abdominal distension is observable. 



The paper concludes with the history and technical description 

 of a new species of Australian honey-ant. This corroborates West- 

 mael's strange account of the IMexican species ; certain individual 

 ants being told off as receptacles for food — in short they become 

 literally animated honey-pots. 



Respiratory and Circulatory Apparatus of Dipterous Larvae.* — 

 The larvie examined by M: Vialhiues appeared to belong to the genus 

 CtcnopltDra. lie describes tho dorsal vessel of a yoinig larva as a long 

 contractile tube, which is only open at its two extremities. In the last 

 Bogment of tho body there is a median enlargement, and there are two 

 stigmata at its margins which give off two lui-ge longitudinal trachea). 



♦ 'Cumi.tcd llciuhis,' xc. (1880) p. IISO. 



