1985] 
Pamilo, Crozier, & Fraser — Rhytidoponera 
223 
foragers) for nest 54. For both nests we calculated the expected 
mean sector-difference according to random expectation using the 
actually-observed distribution of trips between sectors (because 
some sectors were visited more than others). In both cases, the mean 
sector-difference observed was significantly less, at the 95% level, 
than that under random expectation. These findings indicate short- 
term foraging-direction fidelity, but we do not know how long this 
fidelity persists, or if it occurs at other times of the year, nor whether 
the success or failure of a foraging trip influences the sector chosen 
subsequently. 
We observed several instances in which foraging ants from differ- 
ent nests encountered each other in the field. In each case they 
reacted with apparent alarm or hostility to such ants, but not to 
nestmates. Foragers from different nests often ran away from each 
other, but on occasion fought, using their mandibles and stings. 
Seized ants stridulated. When such encounters occurred close to one 
or other nest, the ant from that nest was sometimes joined by a 
nest-mate. In that case, the two ants sometimes dragged the third 
further away before releasing it, but at other times dragged it into 
the nest. Ants dragged into an alien nest are not necessarily killed: 
we observed that one ant (not necessarily alien) was dragged out of 
one nest and released 2 m away. 
Inter-nest movements. 
We observed ants moving between nest sites in three sections of 
the study area. Two of these instances involved the establishment of 
a new nest, one of which was dug up and the ants dissected, as 
reported above; the third involved movement between old, inha- 
bited nests. In each case, many ants were carried between nests by 
others; such ants moved in pairs, one carrying the other over its 
head, grasped by the mandibles. We concentrated our observations 
on the case involving the movement between long-established nests. 
To speed our subsequent discussion, and following established prac- 
tice, we will term this phenomenon “carrying”, and distinguish the 
ant carrying the other as the “carrier”, and the ant being transported 
as the “recruit”. Such carrying has been described for other Rhyti- 
doponera species (Moglich and Holldobler, 1974; Ward, 1981). 
We first observed carrying occurring from nest 59 to nest 60 on 
September 17, and this activity continued at a high level for the 
entire September observation period (11 days) and was also seen in 
