108 ON THE HABITS OF ANTS. [lbct. 



the bottle, and bit perseveringly, though not system- 

 atically, at the muslin. The same thing happened also 

 on the following day. 



These observations seemed to me sufficiently to test 

 the behaviour of the ants belonging to this nest, under 

 these circumstances. I thought it desirable, however, to 

 try also other communities. I selected, therefore, two 

 other nests. One was a community of Polyergus rufes- 

 cens with numerous slaves. Close to where the ants of 

 this nest came to feed, I placed, as before, two small 

 bottles closed in the same way — one containing two 

 slave ants from the nest, the other two strangers. 

 These ants, however, behaved quite unlike the preceding, 

 for they took no notice of either bottle, and showed no 

 sign either of affection or hatred. One is almost tempted 

 to surmise that the warlike spirit of these ants was 

 broken by slavery. 



The other nest which I tried, also a community of 

 Formica fusca, behaved exactly like the first. They 

 took no notice of the bottle containing the friends, but 

 clustered round, and eventually forced their way into, 

 that containing the strangers. 



It seems, therefore, that in these curious insects hatred 

 is a stronger passion than affection. 



Moreover, as regards the affection of bees for one 

 another, it is no doubt true that when they have got any 

 honey on them they are always licked clean by the 

 others, but I am satisfied that this is more for the 

 sake of the honey than of the bee. I have, for in- 

 stance, several times experimented with two bees ; one 

 of which had been drowned, while the other was smeared 

 with honey. The latter was soon licked clean ; of the 



