246 SIU JOHN LUBBOCK ON BEES, WASPS, AND ANTS. 



larvae in this cup, I left her alone. She took one and 

 returned. 

 At 2.31 she returned to cup No. 3 and took the last larva. 

 2,40 she came back to cup No. 3 and searched diligently, 

 went away and wandered about for two minutes, then 

 returned for another look, and at length at 2. .50 went 

 to cup No. 1 and took a larva. 

 3 came to cup 1 and took a larva. 



3. / „ „ 



3.15 „ „ , first, however, going and 



examining cup 3 again. 



3.18 came to cup 3, then went to cup 2 and took a larva. 

 3.30 „ „ 2 „ 



3.43 „ „ 2 „ 



5.53 came to cup 3, but did not climb up it, then went to 

 cup 2 and took a larva, which she either dropped or 

 handed over to another ant ; for without returning to 

 the nest, at 3.55 she returned to the empty cup, and 

 then to cup 2, where she took the last larva, so that two 

 cups are now empty. 



4. 3 she came to cup 3, then to cup 2, and lastly to cup 1, 



when she took a larva. 

 4.15 came to cup 1 and took a larva. 

 4.22 ,/ „ 



4.38 



5 came to cup 3, then to cup 2, and lastly to cup 1, when 

 she took a larva. 



5.19 came to cup 1 and took a larva. 



5.50 came to cup 2 and then to cup 1 and took a larva. . 



6.20 „ 1 and took the last larva. 

 I now put about 80 larvae in cup 3. 



It is remarkable that during all this time she did not come 

 straight to the cups, but took a roundabout and apparently irre- 

 solute course. 



At 7. 4 she came to cup 1 and then to cup 3, and then home. 



There were at least a dozen ants exploring in the box; but 

 she did not send any of them to the larvae. 



At 7.30 she returned to eup 3 and took a larva. 



I now left off" watching for an liour. On my return at 

 S.30 she was just carrying off a larva. 

 8.40 she came back to cup 3 and took a larva. 



