132 PUP^ REMOVED FROM NEST, 



ing the claws. Of course, under these circumstances 

 vre could not watch the ants. I examined the nest, 

 however, every half hour very carefully, and am satisfied 

 that there was no fighting. The next morning there 

 was no dead ant ; nor was there a death in the nest for 

 more than a fortnight. 



December 21. — Marked three more in the same 

 manner, and put them in at 11.15 a.m. Looked at 

 the usual intervals, but saw no fighting. The next 

 morning there was no dead one outside the nest ; but 

 I subsequently found one of these ants outside, and 

 nearly dead. I am, however, disposed to think that I 

 had accidentally injured this ant. 



December 23. — Painted three, and put them in at 10 

 A.M. At 11 they were all right, 12 ditto, 1 ditto, 2 ditto, 

 3 ditto, 4 ditto, 5 ditto. At 3 I put in three strangers 

 for comparison : two of them were soon attacked ; the 

 other hid herself in a corner; but all three were 

 eventually dragged out of the nest. I found no other 

 dead ant outside the nest for some days. 



December 29. — Painted three more, and put them 

 in at 10.30 a.m. At 11 they were all right, 12 ditto, 1 

 ditto, 2 ditto. During the afternoon they were once or 

 twice attacked for a minute or two, but the ants seemed 

 soon to perceive the mistake, and let them go again. 

 The next morning I found one dead ant, but had 

 no reason to suppose that she was one of the above 

 three. The following morning there was again only 

 oue dead ant outside the nest ; she was the third of the 



