250 SIB JOHN LUBBOCK OJf BEES, WASPS, ASD ANTS. 



At tbis time I went to bed. There were still about twenty-five 

 larvae in the cup, which had all been removed when I looked at 6.15 

 the next morning. During the whole time she was under obser- 

 vation, only two strange ants found their way to the cup, though 

 there were some wandering about in the box all day. Towards 

 evening, however, they went into the nest, and for some hours my 

 ant was the only one out. It will be observed that she returned 

 at shorter intervals than the previous ones. This was partly 

 because she had a shorter distance to go, and partly because she 

 was not bewildered by three cups, like the preceding. I had 

 placed a bit of wood to facilitate her ascent into the cup. This 

 she made use of, but instead of going the shortest way to the 

 cup, she followed the side of the box, partly, perhaps, because 

 the floor was covered with a plate of porcelain. This, however, 

 would not account for the fact that at first she invariably went 

 beyond the cup, and even past the second cup ; gradually, how- 

 ever, this circuit became smaller and smaller ; but to the last she 

 went round the outside of cup 1 instead of going straight to the 

 spot where I had placed the bit of wood. 



On the 9th January again I watched her under similar circum- 

 stances. From 9.35 to 1.40 she made 55 journeys to and fro, 

 carrying ofi" a larva each time ; but during this period only one 

 strange ant found the larvae. 



In the afternoon of the same day I watched the ant which had 

 been under observation on the 3rd Jan. From 3.27 to 9.30 she 

 made forty-two visits, during which time only four strange ants 

 came to the larvae. 



On the 10th Jan. I watched the same ant as on the 4th. 

 Between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. she made no less than ninety-two 

 visits ; and during the whole time only one strange ant came to 

 the larvae. 



On the 18th Jan. I put out some more larvte in the small por- 

 celain cups. Between 8 and 9 both these ants found them, and 

 kept on coming all day up to 7 p.m., when I left off observing. 

 There were a good many ants wandering about in the box ; but up 

 to 4 o'clock only four came to the larvse. Two of them I impri- 

 soned as usual ; but two (which came at 4.30 and 4.36) I marked. 

 These went on working quietly with the first two till I left off 

 observing at 7 p.m. ; and during this latter time only three other 

 ants found the larvse. 



On Iho 31st Jan. I watched another specimen. At 9.14 I put 



