Ants. 53 



see two other ants of that species outside the nest. 

 Yet in a few seconds, considerably less than a 

 minute, she emerged with no less than 12 friends. 

 As in the previous case, she ran on ahead, and they 

 followed very slowly and by no means directly, 

 taking, in fact, nearly half an hour to reach the fly. 

 The first ant, after vainly labouring for about a 

 quarter of an hour to move the fly, started off 

 again to the nest. Meeting one of her friends on 

 the way she conversed with her a little, then con- 

 tinued towards the nest, but, after going about a 

 foot, changed her mind, and returned with her 

 friend to the fly. After some minutes, during 

 which two or three other ants came up, one cf 

 them detached a leg, which she carried off to the 

 nest, coming out again almost immediately with 

 six friends, one of whom, curiously enough, seemed 

 to lead the way, tracing it, I presume, by scent. I 

 then removed the pin, and they carried off the fly 

 in triumph. 



7. These experiments certainly seem to indicate 

 the possession by ants of something approaching to 

 language. It is impossible to doubt that the friends 

 were brought out by the first ant ; and as she re- 

 turned empty-handed to the nest, the others cannot 

 have been induced to follow her merely by observing 

 her proceedings. 



Ants, like many other insects, possess two kinds 

 of eyes : a large compound eye on each side of the 

 head, and three small ones, which are called "ocelli," 



