84 The Study of Animal Life part i 



about their power of recognising their fellow-citizens (even 

 when intoxicated), and of communicating definite impres- 

 sions to one another by a subtle language of touch and 

 gesture ; or about their instincts and intelligence, and the 

 limitations of these. But it will be better to read some of 

 the detailed observations, endeavouring, though necessarily 

 with slight success, to think into the nature of ants, — their 

 pertinacity, their indomitable " pluck," their tireless in- 

 dustry, their organic sociality. Surely all will agree with 

 Sir John Lubbock, to whose patient observations we owe 

 so much, that, " when we see an ant-hill, tenanted by 

 thousands of industrious inhabitants, excavating chambers, 

 forming tunnels, making roads, guarding their home, 

 gathering food, feeding the young, tending their domestic 

 animals, each one fulfilling its duties industriously and 

 without confusion, it is difficult altogether to deny them the 

 gift of reason," or, perhaps more accurately, intelligence, 

 for we cannot escape the conviction " that their mental 

 powers differ from those of men not so much in kind as 

 in degree." 



Kropotkine says that the work of ants is performed 

 " according to the principles of voluntary mutual aid." 

 " Mutual aid within the community, self-devotion grown into 

 a habit, and veiy often self-sacrifice for the common wel- 

 fare, are the rule." The marvels of their history are " the 

 natural outcome of the mutual aid which they practise at 

 every stage of their busy and laborious lives." To this 

 mode of life is also due " the immense development of indi- 

 vidual initiative." Ants are not well protected, but " their 

 force is in mutual support and mutual confidence." " And 

 if the ant stands at the very top of the whole class of In- 

 sects for its intellectual capacities ; if its courage is only 

 equalled by the most courageous Vertebrates, and if its 

 brain — to use Darwin's words — 'is one of the most mar- 

 vellous atoms of matter in the world, perhaps more so than 

 the brain of man,' is it not due to the fact that mutual aid 

 has entirely taken the place of mutual struggle in the com- 

 munities of ants ? " 



7. Termites. — The true ants are so supremely interest- 



