238 SIE JOHN LFBBOCK ON BEES, WASPS, AND ANTS. 



four mouths ; but lie believes tbey would not do so for more than 

 one season. In my previous memoir I have described the be- 

 haviour of ants to companions from whom they had been sepa- 

 rated for several months, and mentioned that I could not satisfy 

 myself as to the lively manifestations of joy and satisfaction de- 

 scribed by Huber as being shown under such circumstances. M. 

 Forel, in the above-mentioned work, expresses his opinion that 

 the signs which Huber regarded as marks of affection, were in 

 reality signs of distrust and fear, which, however, were soon 

 removed. 



Ants of different nests are generally enemies ; but M. Forel 

 assures us (p. 262) that when they first quit the pupa-stage, anta 

 do not distinguish friends from foes, though three or four days are 

 sufficient to enable them to do so. It is to be regretted that he 

 does not give the facts on which this interesting statement is 

 based. 



The behaviour of ants to one another differs very much accord- 

 ing as they are alone or supported by numerous companions. An 

 ant which would run away in the first case, will fight bravely in 

 the second (p. 249). 



MM. Porel and Ebrard both assert that if an ant is a little ill 

 or slightly wounded, she is carefully tended by her companions ; 

 while, on the other hand, those which are dangerously ill or 

 wounded are carried out of the nest to die. I have not met with 

 any cases of this kind. 



Again, some days I found no ants about on my window-sill as 

 usual, although there seemed nothing in the weather to account 

 for it. 



I quote the following in order to show the steadiness witb 

 which ants work. 



July 13. At 6.20 a.m. I put an ant to some honey ; at 6.40 

 she went, 7.2 she returned, and at 7.8 went away again, but not 

 to the nest ; at 7.11 she returned, and at 7.15 went away again. 

 At 7.27 she came back. 7.40 went. 



7.49 „ 8. 5 



8.14 „ 8.19 



8.31 „ 8.39 



8.43 „ 8.47 



8.55 „ 9 



9. 8 „ 9.10 



9.17 „ 9.26 



