28 GAMES, 
carried off no less than a hundred and eighty-seven to 
the nest. I had another ant, which I employed in my 
experiments, under continuous observation several days. 
When I started for London in the morning, and again 
when I went to bed at night, I used to put her ina 
small bottle, but the moment she was let out she 
began to work again. On one occasion I was away 
from home for a week. On my return I took her out 
of the bottle, placing her on a little heap of larve 
about three feet from the nest. Under these circum- 
stances I certainly did not expect her to return. How- 
ever, though she had thus been six days in confine- 
ment, the brave little creature immediately picked up 
a larva, carried it off to the nest, and after half an 
hour’s rest returned for another. 
Our countryman Gould noticed! certain * amuse- 
ments’ or ‘ sportive exercises,’ which he had observed 
among ants. Huber also mentions? scenes which he 
had witnessed on the surface of ant hills, and which, 
he says, ‘I dare not qualify with the title gymnastic, 
although they bear a close resemblance to scenes of 
that kind.’ The ants raised themselves on their hind 
legs, caressed one another with their antenne, engaged 
in mock combats, and almost seemed to be playing 
hide and seek. Forel entirely confirms Huber’s state- 
ments, though he was at first incredulous. He 
says : 2— 
1 An Account of English Ants, p. 103. 
3 Nat Hist. of Ants, p. 197. ® Loe. cit., p. 267. 
