238 SIR JOHJf LUBBOCK ON THE HABITS OF A>TS. 



Contrast in Behaviour of different hinds of Ants. 



The behaviour of Lasius flavus oiFers a surprising contrast to 

 that of F. fusca. I was anxious to see whether the colonies 

 of this species, which are very numerous round my house, were 

 in friendly relations with one another. With this view, I kept 

 a nest of L. flavus for a day or two without food and then 

 gave them some honey, to which they soon found their way in 

 numbers. I then put in the midst of them an ant of the same' 

 species from a neighbouring nest ; the others did not attack, but, 

 on the contrary, cleaned her — though, from the attention she 

 excited and the numerous communications which took place be- 

 tween her and them, I am satisfied that they knew she was not 

 one of themselves. After a few minutes she accompanied some 

 of the returning ants to tlie nest. They did not drag nor appa- 

 rently guide her ; but she w^ent with them quite freely. This I 

 repeated several times with the same result. 



I then took four ants, two from a nest about 500 yards from the 

 first in one direction, the other from an equal distance in another. 

 In all cases the result was the same. I then got a few from a 

 colony about half a mile off". These also were most amicably re- 

 ceived, and in every case the stranger went of her own accord to 

 the nest. One of the strangers was, indeed, dragged about half 

 way to the entrance of the nest, but was then left free and might 

 have run away if she had liked. She, however, after wandering 

 about for about half a minute, voluntarily entered the nest. In 

 one or two cases the stranger ran as quickly and straight to 

 the nest as if she had been there over and over again. This, I 

 suppose, can only have been by scent ; and certainly no hounds in 

 full cry could have pursued their game more directly or with less 

 hesitation. In other eases, however, they were much longer 

 before they went in. To satisfy myself that these facts were not 

 owing to the nest having been taken from that of colonies or 

 allies, ] subsequently procured some ants of the same species 

 from a nest in Hertfordshire ; and they also behaved in a similar 

 manner. In one or two cases they seemed to be attacked, though 

 so feebly that I could not feel sure about it ; but in no case were 

 the ants killed. 



The following fact surprised me still more. I put an ant (Aug. 

 31) at 9 A.M. on a spot where a number of ii''. j^«t;« (belonging to 

 one of my nests of domesticated ants) had been feeding some hours 

 previously, though none were there, or, indeed, out at all, at the 



