The Zoologist — September, 1873. 3683 



and fifteen feet distant ; but, on closer examination, it appeared that, though 

 the great mass of seed-bearers were travelhng towards the upper nest, some 

 few were going in the opposite direction and making for the lower. Besides 

 this, at intervals, combats might be seen taking place, one ant seizing the 

 free end of a seed carried by another, and endeavouring to wrench it away, 

 and then frequently, as neither would let go, the stronger ant would drag 

 seed and opponent towards its nest. At times other ants would interfere 

 and seize one of the combatants and endeavour to drag it away, this often 

 resulting in terrible mutilations, and especially in the loss of the abdomen, 

 which would be torn off, while the jaws of the victim retained their in- 

 domitable bull-dog grip upon the seed. Then the victor might be seen 

 dragging away his prize, while his adversary, though now little more than a 

 head and legs, offered a vigorous, though of course ineffectual, resistance. 

 I frequently observed that the ants during these conflicts would endeavour 

 to seize one another's antennae, and that if this were effected the ant thus 

 assaulted would instantly release his hold, whether of seed or adversary, 

 and appear utterly discomfited. No doubt the antennae are their most 

 sensitive parts, and injuries inflicted on these organs cause the greatest pain. 

 It was not until I had watched this scene for some days that I apprehended 

 its true meaning, and discovered that the ants of the upper nest were 

 robbing the granaries of the lower, while the latter tried to recover the 

 stolen seeds both by fighting for them and by stealing seeds in their turn 

 from the nest of their oppressors. The thieves, however, were evidently 

 the stronger, and streams of ants laden with seeds arrived safely at the 

 upper nest, while close observation showed that very few seeds were 

 successfully carried on the reverse journey into the lower and plundered 

 nest."— P. 38. 



Mr. Moggridge contrived to inoprison a colony of Atta barbara, 

 the species on which he made most of his researches, but found 

 great difficulty in gaining much knowledge of their subterranean 

 life : he concludes that on one occasion he saw them actually eating, 

 but although there is nothing very unreasonable, or improbable, or 

 unnatural in an ant condescending to take food, it is a fact not 

 clearly established previously : the theory generally received is that 

 the depredations of pismires on our sugar-basin, our plums, peaches 

 and pears, are rather for the benefit of their progeny than of them- 

 selves; however, we will hear what can be said on the subject, 

 and I am sure every reader will give the writer credit for the utmost 

 painstaking as well as scrupulous exactness. 



" The ants were in the habit of coming out in numbers of an evening 

 to enjoy the warmth and light of my lamp, and it was on one of these 



