240 NASCENT REASON, EMOTION, 



sight of dead comrades, whom they generally disregard. 

 This notion is borne out by the fact that they behave in 

 almost the same way if the tip of the finger is drawn across 

 their line of route on a wall ; or if a mark is made with a 

 stick or a stone across their route when they are travelling 

 on the ground. These Insects appear, indeed, to become 

 excited and bewildered in the face of any unusual impres- 

 sions coming through their dominating sense-organs, and 

 this to a degree proportionate to the strength and novelty 

 of such impressions.* 



The common Ants of this country will not, even under 

 strong temptation, drop or jump downwards from some 

 slight elevation. Sir John Lubbock frequently made 

 experiments of this kind. He introduced some ants 

 (Lasius niger) to a store of larvae, and after they had 

 been engaged for some time in removing them, he elevated 

 one portion of the bridge over which they were compelled 

 to pass in going back to the larvae, so that this elevated 

 end of the bridge was three-tenths of an inch above the 

 remaining portion. The result, frequently repeated, was 

 that, after a while, and much coursing backwards and 

 forwards, they all " went away, losing their prize, in spite 

 of most earnest efforts, because it did not occur to them to 

 drop Vo of an inch." t The same observer adds : " At the 

 moment when the separation was made there were fifteen 

 ants on the larvae. These could, of course, have returned 

 if one had stood still and allowed the others to get on its 

 back. This, however, did not occur to them." They 

 wandered about for a long time in the most aimless 

 manner. 



This apparent lack of ingenuity and reluctance to drop 

 from small heights, as shown by our English ants, is very 



* " Nature," vol. vii. p. 443 ; vol. viii. pp. 244, 303. 

 f " Journ. of Linn. Soc." (Zool.), vol. xiii. p. 217. 



