106 INSTANCES OF KINDNESS TO FRIENDS. 
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 pre- 
ceding, 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. 
Some of those who have done me the honour 
of noticing my papers have assumed that I disputed 
altogether the kindly feelings which have been attri- 
buted to ants. I should, however, be very sorry to 
treat my favourities so unfairly. So far as I can observe, 
ants of the same nest never quarrel. I have never 
seen the slightest evidence of ill-temper in any of my 
nests: all is harmony. Nor are instances of active 
assistance at all rare. Indeed, I have myself witnessed 
various cases showing care and tenderness on their part. 
In one of my nests of Formica fusca was an ant 
which had come into the world without antennex. 
Never having previously met with such a case, I 
watched her with great interest; but she never ap- 
