By Sir John Luhhock, Bart. 59 



however was less conclusive than could be wished, because the 

 prisoners mig-ht have been fed at night, or at a 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 2nd 

 therefore I put two specimens o£ P.fusca into a bottle, the end of 

 which was tied up with muslin as_described, and laid it down close to 

 the nest from which they had been taken. 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 containing their imprisoned friends. 

 The strangers in the bottle, on the contrary, excited them considerably. 

 The whole day one, two, or more, 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 at once. 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 attacked. The friends throughout 

 were quite neglected. 



September 21st. I then [repeated [the experiment, putting three 

 ants from another nest in a bottle as before. The same scene 

 was repeated. The friends were neglected. On the other 

 hand some of the ants weie alf^ays watching over the bottle 

 containing the strangers, and biting at the muslin which 

 enclosed them. 

 September 24th. I repeated the same experiment with the same 

 nest. Again the ants came and sat over the bottle contain- 

 ing the strangers, while no notice was taken of the friends. 

 The next morning again, when I got up, I found five ants 

 round the bottle containing the strangers, none near the 

 friends. All day the ants clustered round the bottle and bit 

 savagely, though not systematically, at the muslin. The 

 same thing happened all the following day. 

 These observations seemed to mo sufficiently to test the behaviour 



