INSTINCT 365 



Another species, Formica sanguinea, was likewise first 

 discovered by P. Huber to be a slave-making ant. This 

 species is found in the southern parts of England, and 

 its habits have been attended to by Mr. F. Smith, of the 

 British Museum, to whom I am much indebted for infor- 

 mation on this and other subjects. Although fully trust- 

 ing to the Statements of Huber and Mr. Smith, I tried to 

 approach the subject in a sceptical frame of mind, as any 

 one may well be excused for doubting the existence of 

 so extraordinary an instinct as that of making slaves. 

 Hence, I will give the observations which I made in 

 some little detail. I opened fourteen nests of F. san- 

 guinea, and found a few slaves in all. Males and fertile 

 females of the slave species (F. fusca) are found only in 

 their own proper communities, and have never been ob- 

 served in tbe nests of F. sanguinea. The slaves are 

 black and not above half the size of their red masters, 

 so that the contrast in their appearance is great. When 

 the nest is slightly disturbed the slaves occasionally come 

 out, and like their masters are much agitated and defend 

 the nest: when the nest is much disturbed, and the larvae 

 and pupae are exposed, the slaves work energetically to- 

 gether with their masters in carrying them away to a 

 place of safety. Hence, it is clear that the slaves feel 

 quite at home. During the months of June and July, 

 on three successive years, I watched for many hours sev- 

 eral nests in Surrey and Sussex, and never saw a slave 

 either leave or enter a nest. As, during these months, 

 the slaves are very few in number, I thought that they 

 might behave differently when more numerous; but Mr. 

 Smith informs me that he has watched the nests at vari- 

 ous hours during May, June, and August, both in Surrey 



