38 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 
A PAPER was recently read at Hampstead by Mr. W. F. Kirby, 
F.L.S., &¢., on ‘“ Ants from a Social and Theosophical Standpoint.” 
Mr. Kirby commenced his paper by remarking that while much that 
is taught as Theosophy is true, much is highly probable and other 
statements cannot at present be verified, and must be treated as 
useful working hypotheses, to be verified or disproved later on. 
Among these was the statement that several distinct lines of evolu- 
tion were running their course in this world parallel with our own. 
He thought it more probable that ants belonged to one of these than 
to our own line of evolution. There are four groups of insects which 
stand out as prominently from the rest of the imsect world as does 
man from the larger animals. These are bees, wasps, termites or 
white ants, and ants, the last of which are the most interesting. He 
then spoke of the contrast between ants and ourselves; how they 
emerge from the eggs as helpless maggots, and are cared for by the 
working members of the community (which are sterile females) till 
they reach their perfect state, when they are born with all their 
working tools, including brushes and combs, and are able to take 
their share of the work of the community. Their senses are different 
from ours, for there is reason to believe that they see colours which 
are invisible to us. Some of their communities are so vast that a 
single colony might contain a much larger number of individuals than 
the whole human population of the globe. Most communities own 
large herds of cattle (plant-lice, caterpillars of blue butterflies, &c.), 
and pets, whilst others subsist by the chase or by growing corn or 
mushrooms. Generally speaking, ants are very patriotic; and there 
are no unemployed, for in an ant’s nest it is each for all and all 
for each. But strangers from another nest are often ruthlessly 
slaughtered, while wars between one nest and another are not un- 
common. Still more remarkable are the slave-making ants, some of 
whom have become so degenerate that they will actually die of 
starvation in the midst of plenty unless they have a slave to feed 
them. They are also annoyed by various enemies and parasites, 
among others by a small cricket, which is in the habit of slyly 
