ANTS AND ANT LIFE. 77 



Especially must it not be thought that all ant nests are 

 constructed on the same or on a similar plan, as would of 

 course be the case if the little architects followed an innate 

 instinct. On the contrary, the greatest diversity is found 

 according to circumstances, seasons, genera, and species. 

 Even the same species builds very differently under differ- 

 ences of place, climate, or other circumstances. Thus, for 

 example, the Lasius acervorum never builds under stones in 

 plains, while in the Alps it shows a, decided inclination to 

 build under the same stones as the species Myrndca. This 

 circumstance alone omitting others would suffice to set 

 the intelligence of ants above those of bees, which are known 

 to build their cells everywhere on the same almost un- 

 changeable model. 



" The characteristic trait of the building of ants," says 

 Forel, "is the almost complete absence of an unchangeable 

 model, peculiar to each species, such as is found in wasps, 

 bees, and others. The ants know how to suit their indeed 

 little perfect work to circumstances, and to take advantage 

 of each situation. Besides each works for itself and on 

 a given plan, and is only occasionally aided by others when 

 these understand its plan. Naturally many collisions occur, 

 and some destroy that which others have made. This also 

 gives the key to understanding the labyrinth of the dwelling. 

 For the rest, it is always those workers which have dis- 

 covered the most advantageous method, or which have shown 

 the most patience, which win over to their plan the majority 

 of their comrades and at last the whole colony, although 

 not without many fights for supremacy. But if one succeeds 

 in obtaining a second to follow it, and this second draws the 

 others after it, the first is soon lost again in the crowd." 



Espinas also observed (" Animal Communities," German 

 ed. 1879, p. 371) that each single ant made its own plan 

 and followed it until a comrade, which had caught the idea, 

 joined it, and then they worked together in the execution 

 of the same plan. 



This observation so plainly manifesting the republican 

 principle of ant-life, and proving that each individual enjoys 

 a far greater freedom of thought, than, for example, a bee, 

 strictly bound down to one method had already been made 

 by Huber, who resumes the account of his observations on 

 wall-building ants, and especially on F. fusca, with the 



