COMMUNICATING AND OTHER ANTS 79 



extremely short. One evening I observed that a 

 number of the sexual forms of the large black Indian 

 ant, Camponotus compressus (see Plate, p. 60), were flying 

 about the lamps, so that it was clear that a nuptial flight 

 had emerged. The following morning I found that 

 the ground was strewn with thousands of their dead 

 bodies, all of which seemed to be males. Such is the 

 flickering life of the sexual male ; just a few hours of 

 sunlight or perhaps a single night ; just a sufficient 

 time to perform the sexual function for which sole 

 duty alone it lives. 



The workers bestow much care and attention on 

 the sexual members of the community. One evening 

 after heavy rain the males and females of the species 

 Camponotus dolendiis had collected, preparatory to 

 flight, in a swarm on the ground close to the gate of 

 the nest. The workers, chiefly those of the large, 

 strong soldier type, formed a ring of defence around 

 them like a bodyguard of infantry drawn up in battle- 

 order to repel an attack. I disturbed one of the 

 workers, and soon the whole community was thrown 

 into alarm. From the intensity of their excitement it 

 was clear that the soldiers recognized the sanctity of 

 their charge. The males and females, being the 

 peaceful and inoffensive members of the family, hurried 

 away into the security of the nest ; but the more 

 stalwart workers, in their position as protectors, 

 scattered savagely in all directions to seek out and 

 come to battle with the foe. 



After this alarm had passed, the sexual forms again 

 emerged and wandered away into a tuft of grass a 

 few feet from the nest. As nightfall approached, the 

 workers became restless. It was the hour \\hen the 



