104 CONTRAST OF BEHAVIOUR 



could be wished, because they might have been fed at 

 night, or at some time when we were not looking. It 

 struck me, therefore, that it would be interesting to 

 treat some strangers also in the same manner. 



On September 2, therefore, I put two ants from one 

 of my nests of F. fusca into a bottle, the end of which 

 was tied up with muslin as described, and laid it down 

 close to the nest. In a second bottle I put two ants 

 from another nest of the same species. The ants 

 which were at liberty took no notice of the bottle con- 

 taining their imprisoned friends. The strangers in the 

 other bottle, on the contrary, excited them considerably. 

 The whole day one, two, or more ants stood sentry, as 

 it were, over the bottle. In the evening no less than 

 twelve were collected round it, a larger number than 

 usually came out of the nest at any one time. The 

 whole of the next two days, in the same way, there 

 were more or less ants round the bottle containing the 

 strangers ; while, as far as we could see, no notice 

 whatever was taken of the friends. On the 9th the 

 ants had eaten through the muslin, and effected an 

 entrance. We did not chance to be on the spot at the 

 moment ; but as I found two ants lying dead, one in 

 the bottle and one just outside, I think there can be 

 no doubt that the strangers were put to death. The 

 friends throughout were quite neglected. 



September 21. — I then repeated the experiment, 

 putting three ants from another nest in a bottle as 

 before. The same scene was repeated. The friends 



