230 SIR JOHN LTBBOCK ON THE HABITS OP ANTS. 



Recolleetion of Friends. 



In my previous paper* I recorded some facts tending to show 

 not only that ants belonging to the same nest know one another, 

 but also that they recollect one another after being separated 

 for some months. 



This was made evident by separating a colony into halves, regis- 

 tered as Nests No. 4 and 5, and then from time to time introduc- 

 ing an ant from one division into the other. As the nests under 

 observation consisted of a thin stratum of earth between two glass 

 plates, I was able to see exactly how the ant thus introduced 

 behaved herself, and how she ivas treated by the others. 



One of the colonies thus separated belonged to Formica fusaa, 

 and was divided on the 4th Aug., 1875. The observations made in 

 the same year have been already recorded. On the 15th March 

 following, I put in a stranger and one of the old companions from 

 the other half of the nest at 7 A.M., and watched them longer than 

 those previously experimented on. The stranger was very soon 

 attacked ; the friend seemed quite at home. 



4th June. 8 a.m. Put into the nest a stranger and an old 

 friend. The stranger was at once attacked, and dragged about by 

 one of her antennge. 9 a.m. The stranger was being attacked ; the 

 friend, though not attacked, kept ratlier away from the other 

 ants. 10.30 a.m. The stranger was attacked, not the friend. 

 12.30 P.M. do., 1 P.M. do., 1.30 p.m. do., 2 p.m. do., 2.30 p.m. do. 

 4 P.M. do., 4.30 P.M. do. 5 p.m. The stranger was dead. 



5th June. Put in a stranger and a friend at 9.30. At 10 the 

 stranger was being attacked, not the friend. 10 a.m. do., 10.30 

 A.M. do. 



At 11 I put in another stranger and another old friend, when 

 nearly the same thing was repeated. At 11.30 a.m. the stranger was 

 being dragged about by an antenna ; the friend was not attacked. 

 12. The stranger was by herself in a corner of the nest. The 

 friend was almost cleaned from the paint by which she was marked. 

 I therefore put in another friend. At 2 the stranger was being 

 dragged about by an antenna, the friend was being cleaned. 2.30 

 do., 3 do. At 3.30 the friend was almost clean; the stranger is being 

 dragged about. 6 do. 



10th June. Repeated the same observation at 10 a.m., but 

 transposed the colours by which they were distinguished, so that 



* See vol. xii. p. 494, lines 17 and 18 from the top, and under the head of 

 Not. 7, I unfortunately transposed the words " former " and " latter." 



