104 CONTRAST OF BEHAVIOUR 
could be wished, because they might have been fed at 
night, or at some time when we were not looking. It 
struck me, therefore, that it would be interesting to 
treat some strangers also in the same manner. 
On September 2, therefore, I put two ants from one 
of my nests of F. fusca into a bottle, the end of which 
was tied up with muslin as described, and laid it down 
close to the nest. In a second bottle I put two ants 
from another nest of the same species. The ants 
which were at liberty took no notice of the bottle con- 
taining their imprisoned friends. The strangers in the 
other bottle, on the contrary, excited them considerably. 
The whole day one, two, or more ants stood sentry, as 
it were, over the bottle. In the evening no less than 
twelve were collected round it, a larger number than 
usually came out of the nest at any one time. The 
whole of the next two days, in the same way, there 
were more or less ants round the bottle containing the 
strangers; while, as far as we could see, no notice 
whatever was taken of the friends. On the 9th the 
ants had eaten through the muslin, and effected an 
entrance. We did not chance to be on the spot at the 
moment; but as I found two ants lying dead, one in 
the bottle and one just outside, I think there can be 
no doubt that the strangers were put to death. The 
friends throughout were quite neglected. 
September 21.—--I then repeated the experiment, 
putting three ants from another nest in a bottle as 
before. The same scene was repeated. The friends 
