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described ; but tbe colour- variety'tbat be describes is not uncommon at New 
Haven. Prof. Nicholson states that this species carries the young attached 
to the ventral surface by means of their posterior sucker, and thinks that 
this is a remarkable habit. He says, ‘ This extraordinary habit of carrying 
the young has been noticed by Prof. Verril in another species of Clepsine; 
but I am not aware that attention has otherwise been drawn to it.’ In the 
paper by me, to which he refers (this Journal, Feb., 1872), I gave this habit 
as a generic character (as many other writers had done before me), saying 
(p. 127), ‘ The young adhere in a group to the posterior part of the lower 
surface of the body of the parent, by means of the posterior sucker, and 
before quitting the parent, usually present the essential characters, and often 
nearly the pattern of colour of the adult, though paler.’ And in describing 
the species, the attached young of four species were mentioned, and more or 
less fully described.” 
Habits of Ants Displaying Considerable Intelligence. — Mr. Darwin has 
received a letter from J. D. Hague, which, as it contains facts of interest, 
he has sent to Nature,” April 10, for publication. Among other points of 
interest in the communication is the following account : — “ One day I ob- 
served a number of ants, perhaps thirty or forty, on the shelf at the foot of the 
vase. Thinking to kill them I struck them lightly with the end of my finger, 
killing some and disabling the rest. The effect of this was immediate and 
unexpected. As soon as those ants that were approaching arrived near to 
where their fellows lay dead and suffering, they turned and fled with all 
possible haste. In half an hour the wall above the mantelshelf was cleared 
of ants. During the space of an hour or two the colony from below con- 
tinued to ascend, until reaching the lower bevelled edge of the shelf, at 
which point the more timid individuals, although unable to see the vase, 
somehow became aware of trouble and turned about without further inves- 
tigation ; while the more daring advanced hesitatingly just to the upper 
edge of the shelf, where, extending their antennae and stretching their 
necks, they seemed to peep cautiously over the edge until beholding their 
suffering companions, when they too turned and followed the others, ex- 
pressing by their behaviour great excitement and terror. An hour or two 
later the path or trail leading from the lower colony to the vase was almost 
entirely free from ants. I killed one or two ants on their path, striking 
them with my finger, but leaving no visible trace. The effect of this was 
that as soon as an ant ascending towards the shelf reached the spot where 
one had been killed, it gave signs immediately of great disturbance, and re- 
turned directly at the highest epeed possible. A curious and invariable 
feature of their behaviour was, that when such an ant, returning in fright, 
met another approaching, the two would always communicate, but each 
would pursue its own way; the second ant continuing its journey to the 
spot where the first had turned about, and then following that example.” 
