OBSERVATIONS ON THE HABITS OF ANTS. 87 



Peculiarities of Manner in Different Species of Ants. 



In one of m}^ previous memoirs* I have observed that the 

 behaviour of Lasms^atnts offered in some respects a surprising 

 contrast to that of Formica fusca. In experimenting on the 

 power of recognising friends possessed by these species, I found 

 that while specimens of Lasius flavus readily, and even of their 

 own accord, entered other nests of the same species, Formica 

 fusca, on the contrary, showed a marked reluctance to do so ; 

 and I had some difficulty in inducing them to do so. At that 

 time, however, I did not ascertain what became of the specimens 

 thus introduced into a strange community. I thought it would 

 be worth while to determine this; so I took six ants from one of 

 my nests of Lasius flavus, marked them, and introduced them 

 into another nest of the same species. As in the preceding cases, 

 they entered quite readily ; but though they were not at first 

 attacked, they were evidently recognised as strangers. The 

 others examined them carefull}^ and at length they were all driven 

 out of the nest. Their greater readiness to enter a strange nest 

 may perhaps be accounted for by the fact that, as a subterranean 

 species, their instinct always is to conceal themselves under- 

 ground, whereas F. fusca, a hunting species, does not do so, 

 except to enter its own nest. 



Longevity of Ants. 



In my previous paper I have called attention to the consider- 

 able age attained by my ants ; and I may perhaps be permitted 

 to repeat here, mutatis mutandis, a paragraph from my last com- 

 munication with reference to my most aged specimens, most of 

 those mentioned last year being still alive. One of my nests of 

 Formica fusca was brought from the woods in December, 1874. 

 It then contained two queens, both of which are now still alive. 

 I am disposed to think that some of the workers now in the nest 

 were among those originally captured, the mortality after the first 

 few weeks having been but small. This, of course, I cannot 

 prove. The queens, however, are certainly more than seven, and 

 probably more than eight, years old. In the following nests, viz. 

 another nest of F. fusca, which I brought in on the fitli June, 



* Journ. Linn. Soc. 



