36 Ants. 



Amazons died of hunger in less than two days; 

 they had not even traced out a dwelling, and the 

 few ants still in existence were languid and with- 

 out strength. I commiserated their condition, and 

 gave them one of their black companions. This 

 individual, unassisted, established order, formed a 

 chamber in the earth, gathered together the larvae, 

 extricated several young ants that were ready to 

 quit the condition of pupae, and preserved the life 

 of the remaining Amazons." 



6. This observation has been fully confirmed by 

 other naturalists. However small the prison, how- 

 ever large the quantity of food, these stupid crea- 

 tures will starve in the midst of plenty rather than 

 feed themselves. 



M. Forel was kind enough to send me a nest of 

 the Amazon Ants, and I kept it under observation 

 for more than four years. My specimens certainly 

 never fed themselves, and when the community 

 changed its nest, which they did several times, the 

 mistresses were carried from the one to the other 

 by the slaves. I was even able to observe one of 

 their marauding expeditions, in which, however, 

 the slaves took a part. 



7. I do not doubt that, as Huber tells us, speci- 

 mens if kept by themselves in a box would soon die 

 of starvation, even if supplied with food. I have, 

 however, kept isolated specimens for three months 

 by giving them a slave for an hour or two a day to 

 clean and feed them : under these circumstances 



