132 SIR JOHN" LUBBOCK ON ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS. 



longing to the same species, be placed among them, she will be 

 at once attacked and driven out of the nest. Nay, more, I have 

 already shown that they remember their friends even after more 

 than a year's separation, and that it is not by any sign or pass- 

 word, because even if rendered intoxicated, so as to be utterly in- 

 sensible, they are still recognized. As regards the mode of re- 

 cognition, Mr. McCook considers that it is by scent, and states 

 that if ants are more or less soaked in water, they are no longer 

 recognized by their friends, but are attacked. He mentions a case 

 in which an ant fell accidentally into some water : — 



" She remained in the liquid some moments and crept out of it. 

 Immediately she was seized in a hostile manner, first by one, 

 then by another, then by a third; the two antennae and one leg were 

 thus held. A fourth one assaulted the middle thorax and petiole ; 

 the poor little bather was thus dragged helplessly to and fro for a 

 long time, and was evidently ordained to death. Presently I took 

 up the struggling heap. Two of the assailants kept their hold ; one 

 finally dropped, the other I could not tear loose, and so put the 

 pair back upon the tree, leaving the doomed immersionist to her 

 hard fate." 



His attention having been called to this, he noticed several 

 other cases, always with the same result. I have not myself 

 been able to repeat the observation with the same species, but 

 with two at least of our native ants the results were exactly re- 

 versed. In one case five specimens of Lasius niger fell into water 

 and remained immersed for three hours. I then took them out 

 and put them into a bottle to recover themselves. The following 

 morning I allowed them to return. They were received as 

 friends, and though we watched them from 7.30 till 1.30 every 

 hour, there was not tlie slightest sign of hostility. The nest was 

 moreover placed in a close box, so that if any ant were killed we 

 could inevitably find the body, and I can therefore positively state 

 that no ant died. In this case, therefore, it is clear that the 

 immersion did not prevent them from being recognized. Again, 

 three specimens of Formica fusca dropped into water. After 

 three hours I took them out, and after keeping them by themselves 

 for the night to recover, I put them back into the nest. They 

 were unquestionably received as friends, without the slightest 

 sign of hostility, or even of doubt. I do not, however, by any 

 means intend to express the opinion that smell is not the mode 

 by which recognition is eff'ected. 



