53 AJSriMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



varieties are sharply defined, by no means possessing the 

 same traits in common. The incident just narrated 

 shows that they can communicate with one another. 

 This was confirmed in another way. A dead fly was 

 securely fastened with a pin some distance from the 

 nest and an ant conducted to it. After tugging away at 

 it for some time, he found he could make no impression 

 on the fly, and hurried off home for help. In a few 

 moments he emerged from the nest with several others. 

 The re-inforcemeuts seemed only half awake, for they 

 came out rubbing their eyes — so to speak — and wan- 

 dered aimlessly about, while the scout shot off in the 

 direction of the fly, not looking behind and leaving his 

 sleepy friends out of sight. Finding that they did not 

 appear he went back for others, and brought out eight 

 more drowsy folks. In his impatience and excitement 

 he ran ahead of these also, and they not knowing where 

 to go soon returned to their nest. Meanwhile the first 

 lot, after groping around for about twenty minutes, 

 finally stumbled on the fly, tore it to pieces and brought 

 it home. It would seem from this that the ant could tell 

 his associates that their services were wanted but could 

 not communicate the direction. If he had not been in 

 such a hurry they could and would have followed him, 

 but having no guide they had to wander around until 

 the prey was finally discovered. 



It is well known that certain species of ants keep 

 aphides as milch cows. The eggs are first secured and 

 tended as carefully as the eggs of the ants themselves. 

 They are usually hatched in the ants nests, and then 

 taken out and placed on the plants upon which they 

 feed. Sometimes an enclosure is built to confine the 

 aphides, as well as a covered archway leading from the 

 ants nests to them. The aphis secrets a thick sweet 

 juice, which it releases when tickled in the abdomen with 



the antennsB of the ants. The ants are very fond of it, 



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