ANTS AND ANT LIFE. 137 



of their race, come to their full antly consciousness, to be 

 enslaved, whereas human slave-makers are known never to- 

 have the smallest scruple on this head. For the ant-kid- 

 nappers only steal larvae and pupae, which they bring up as 

 regular slaves within their dwellings, so that these last have 

 never tasted the condition and the sweetness of freedom. 

 Only quite young ants, one or two days old, recognizable by 

 their clear color, which'are not yet out of long-clothes and 

 do not yet know what is " manly (or womanly) pride before 

 the throne of a king," are tolerably often made into slaves, 

 and accustom themselves quickly and easily to their new 

 position. The slaves of the ants, however, do not seem to 

 be conscious of the loss, or rather of the absence of freedom, 

 and as a rule work willingly and uncompelled in common 

 with their masters at all the tasks necessary for the mainte- 

 nance of the colony, such as building the dwelling, searching 

 for plant-lice, tendance and feeding of larvae and pupae, and 

 so on, and even fight against members of their own species 

 in company with their robber-lords. They are regarded 

 more as friends, brothers, or helpers than as real slaves. 

 They never think of escaping from slavery by flight, although 

 Forel, as will be told afterwards, once observed a revolt 

 among them. This rule applies at least to the Swiss species 

 observed by Huber and A., while in the south of England 

 colonies have been seen in which the slaves never leave, or 

 venture to leave the nest, and are thus, in the true sense of 

 the word, domestic slaves. 



As regards the slave holders themselves, we are acquainted 

 with three kinds in Europe ( F. rufescens, F. sanguined, and 

 Strongyloynathus), of which only the two first are accurately 

 known. The most interesting among them is the often 

 mentioned and famous Amazon (Formica or Polyergus 

 rufescens) [the rufescent ant of Kirby, TR.], whose note- 

 worthy doings and habits were first exactly observed and 

 described by Huber. It is a large, strong, very active, 

 shining -red ant, which behaves just as do human lords as a 

 rule ; namely, it does not work, but leaves everything to 

 be looked after by its servants, slaves, and laborers. It does 

 not even eat by itself, but lets itself be fed by its slaves, 

 and behaves just like the Llama of Thibet, who also has 

 food put into his mouth by his slaves, because it is thought 

 beneath the dignity of so great a lord to serve himself. Do 



