Mr. H. St. J. K. Donistliorpe on Ants’ JVests. 143 
number of experiments to prove that each of the different 
joints of an ant’s antennae has a different function. For 
example, the 12th or final joint recognises the home or 
nest odour, the 11th recognises personal relations, the 
10th the path or track, etc. The authoress also concludes 
that the whole nest aura changes every two or three 
months. Though these experiments were very carefully 
elaborated, I do not think too much importance should be 
attached to them; and this, I believe, is the opinion 
of both Father Wasmann and Prof. Wheeler. The 
subject is far too difficult and intricate to be settled at 
once. Herr Bethe wished to prove that it was only by 
smell that ants knew each other, and he found that when 
they were washed in alcohol and water, dried, and bathed 
in a liquor of crushed ants from another nest, they were 
received by that nest. This, however, is only the case 
for a short time, the strangers being eventually killed. 
Also ants returned after similar treatment to their own 
nest are not recognised for a long time. Lord Avebury 
has pointed out that ants that had been soaked in water 
were not at first recognised by their friends. 
Any careful experiments with ants’ nests are therefore 
of the greatest value and interest, as a means of helping 
those who are endeavouring to clear up these difficult prob¬ 
lems. I will now give the results of some experiments 
with ants’ nests, which touch on the different points 
discussed above. 
On April 2ncl, 1907, I established a nest of Formica rufa, from 
Oxshott, in my study. It contained 12 ^ $ and many ^ 5, etc. 
On April 12tli I brought up from the same nest at Oxshott, some 
more 5 ? and ^ 9 • They were at once recognised and received 
with pleasure, the $ $ being cleaned and led into the nest. On 
April 26th, I brought up a $ and some ^ 9 from anotlier nest at 
Oxshott, far removed from the first nest. These also, to my surprise, 
were equally well received. 
These ants must have sprung from the same stock, 
since and from Weybridge and Bournemouth were 
attacked, and dragged about and killed. I have also been 
in the habit of obtaining ants in the spring from the same 
nests I took them from the year before and introducing 
them into my observation nests, and always found them 
well received and undoubtedly recognised. I extract the 
