sill JOHN XTJBBOCK OS THE HABITS OF ANTS. 247 



Table No. 2 is constructed in the same waj, but refers to tbe 

 nest oi Polyergus and F.fusca. The feeders in this case were, at 

 the beginning of the experiment, those known to us as Nos. 5, 6, 

 and 7. On the 22nd Nov. a friend, registered as No. 8, came to the 

 honey, and again on the 11th Dec. ; but with these two exceptions 

 the whole of the supplies were carried in by Nos. 5 and 6; with a 

 little help from No. 7. 



Thinking now it might be alleged that possibly these were 

 merely unusually active or greedy individuals, I imprisoned 

 No. 6 when she came out to feed on the 5th. As will be seen 

 from the table, no other ant had been out to the honey for some 

 days ; and it could therefore hardly be accidental that on that very 

 evening another ant (then registered as No. 9) came out for food. 

 This ant, as will be seen from the table, then took the place of 

 No. 6, and (No. 5 being imprisoned on the 11th Jan.) took in all the 

 supplies, again with a little help from No. 7. So matters continued 

 till the 17th, when I imprisoned No. 9, and then again, i. e. on the 

 19th, another ant (No. 10) came out for the food, aided on and after 

 the 22nd by another, No. 11. This seems to me very curious. From 

 the 1st Nov. to the 5th Jan.jWith two or three casual exceptions, the 

 whole of the supplies were carried in by three ants, one of whom, 

 however, did comparatively little. The other two are imprisoned, 

 and then, but not till then, a fresh ant appears on the scene. She 

 carries in the food for a week, and then, she being imprisoned, 

 two others undertake the task. On the other hand, in Nest 1, 

 where the first foragers were not imprisoned, they continued 

 during the whole time to carry in the necessary supplies. 



The facts therefore certainly seem to indicate that certain ants 

 are told oflF as foragers, and that during winter, when little food is 

 required, two or three are suiRcient to provide it. 



