48 
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 
into the water, is 6 in part to be rid of them, and partly, 
perhaps, with a view to effecting a possible cure ; for 1 
have seen one ant carry another down the twig wdiich 
formed their path to the surface of the water, and, after 
dipping it in for a minute, carry it laboriously up again, 
and lay it in the sun to dry and recover/ 
But that some species of ants display marked signs 
of what we may call sympathy even towards healthy com- 
panions in distress, is proved by the following observation 
of Mr. Belt. He writes i 1 — 
One day, watching a small column of these ants lie. 
Eciton hamccta), I placed a little stone on one of them to se- 
cure it. The next that approached, as soon as it discovered its 
situation, ran backwards in an agitated manner, and soon com- 
municated the intelligence to the others. They rushed to the 
rescue ; some bit at the stone and tried to move it, others seized 
the prisoner by the legs and tugged with such force that I 
thought the legs would be pulled off', but they persevered until 
they got the captive free. I next covered one up with a piece 
of clay, leaving only the ends of its antennse projecting. It was 
soon discovered by its fellows, which set to work immediately, 
and by biting off pieces of the clay soon liberated it. Another 
time I found a very few of them passing along at intervals. I 
confined one of these under a piece of clay at a little distance 
from the line, with his head projecting. Several ants passed it, 
but at last one discovered it and tried to pull if out, but could 
not. It immediately set off at a great rate, and I thought it 
had deserted its comrade, but it had only gone for assistance, 
for in a short time about a dozen ants came hurrying up, evi- 
dently fully informed of the circumstances of the case, for they 
made directly for their imprisoned comrade and soon set him 
free. I do not see how this action could be instinctive. It was 
sympathetic help, such as man only among the higher mam- 
malia shows. The excitement and ardour with which they 
carried on their unflagging exertions for the rescue of their 
comrade could not have been greater if they had been human 
beings. 
This observation seems unequivocal as proving fellow- 
feeling and sympathy, so far as we can trace any analogy 
between the emotions of the higher animals and those of 
3 The Naturalist in Nicaragua , 1874, p. 26. 
