48 SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ON ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS. 



1 



After this I was away from home for six days, returning on the 

 12tli. During the interyal I left the honey on the table, covered 

 over, but with a small entrance for the wasp. On my return I 

 found her still industriously at work. The following morning I 

 got up at 3 ; but that morning she did not make her first visit till 

 5.10, returning at 5.19. No other wasp came to the honey. 



On Ants. 



Ants, Recognition hy. — "With reference to the interesting 

 problem as to how ants recognize their nest companions, I men- 

 tioned in my last paper that I had tried the following experiment, 

 took a few specimens of Formica fusca from two different nests, 

 which I will call A and B, and placed them together. At first 

 they were rather shy ; but after awhile they fraternized. After 

 they had lived amicably together for three months, I put two of 

 these ants from nest A into nest B ; but they were soon attacked 

 vigorously and driven out of the nest. 



I have now repeated and extended this test. 



On the 16th June I put three specimens of F. fusca from my 

 nest No. 81, with the same number from nest 71. Then on the 

 19th September, one of the six having died in the interval, I put 

 the two from nest 81 into nest 71, and the three from nest 71 

 into 81. They were all attacked, though not very quickly or 

 vigorously, but by the 21st September all five had been expelled. 



Again, on the 25th September I took three ants from each of 

 these nests and put the six together. Then on the 19th March 

 following, one having again died, I put the two from 71 into 81 

 and the three from 81 into 71. They were all attacked; so that 

 they were evidently recognized as strangers ; but it seemed to me 

 that the attack was less vigorous, and I could not be sure that 

 they were either killed or driven out. In the course o£ the week 

 three or four dead ants were brought out of each of the nests ; 



