No. 414.] NESTS OF AMERICAN ANTS. — 437 
carrying some of the Myrmica larva. This action on the part 
of both species was evidently the result of haste and excite- 
ment, as I never saw it repeated subsequently except once, 
when a Leptothorax carried a Myrmica larva a short distance 
and then dropped it. 
As soon as the excitement had subsided the Myrmicas pro- 
ceeded to dig galleries in the soft earth between the glass 
pane and the board, and the Leptothorax at once migrated into 
them. A few hours later the earth that had been dumped on 
the pane was carefully removed and replaced by a piece of 
opaque cardboard which was only lifted from the glass when 
the ants were under observation. A small dish containing a 
syrup of sugar and water was placed near the nest. This 
was soon found by two of the Myrmica workers, which at once 
gorged themselves with the liquid and returned into the nest, 
where they proceeded to dole out the store of food to their 
hungry sisters. It was then that I was able to make my first 
observation on the mutual relations of the two species of ants. 
A Leptothorax worker was seen to follow up and to climb 
on to the thorax of one of the food-distributing Myrmicas soon 
after it had entered the nest. In this position the little ant 
proceeded to lick the back of the head and clypeus of the 
Myrmica with signs of agitation as indicated by the hastening 
of the tremulous beat of its antennz and the throwing of its 
abdomen and postpetiole into stridulatory oscillation. The 
Myrmica paused as if spellbound by this shampooing and 
occasionally folded its antennz as if in sensuous enjoyment. 
The Leptothorax, after licking the Myrmica’s pate, moved its 
head around to the side and began to lick the cheeks, man- 
dibles, and labium of the Myrmica. Such ardent osculation 
Was not bestowed in vain, for a minute drop of liquid — evi- 
dently some of the recently imbibed sugar-water — appeared 
on the Myrmica’s lower lip and was promptly lapped up by 
the Leptothorax. The latter then dismounted, ran to another 
Myrmica, climbed on to its back and repeated the very same 
performance. Again it took toll and passed on to still another 
Myrmica. On looking about in the nest I observed that nearly 
all the Leptothorax workers were similarly employed. In one 
