1877 -] 
Our Six-footed Rivals. 
449 
communicated 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 the 
antennae 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 little piece of clay, with his head projecting. Seve- 
ral ants passed it, but at last one discovered it and tried to 
pull it up, 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, evidently fully informed of the cir- 
cumstances of the case, for they made direCtly for their 
imprisoned comrade, and soon set him free. The excitement 
and ardour with which they carried on their exertions for 
the rescue could not have been greater if they had been 
human beings.” 
Such cases as these are of the greater moment because 
many other social and semi-social animals treat an unfor- 
tunate companion in a very different manner. It is on 
record that a rook, which had got entangled among the 
twigs of a tree, was pecked and buffeted to death by its 
neighbours, despite the efforts of its mate for its protection. 
FaCts are not wanting which show that the social organi- 
sation of ants takes cognizance of sanitary matters. In 
Australia they have been known to bury their dead, not 
without some degree of formality* according to their caste. 
In experimental formicaries in this country ants have been 
observed to throw the bodies of their dead companions into 
the water surrounding their dwellings. In the nests of 
almost all species great care is taken to preserve cleanliness. 
The agricultural ant of Texas removes any offensive matter 
placed near its city, and will even take the trouble to carry 
away the droppings of cattle that have fallen on its cleared 
ground. Any dung-rolling beetle which brings its ball of 
ordure within these sacred precinCts is at once attacked and 
put to death, and the nuisance is quickly cut to pieces and 
carried to a distance. 
Nor are laws on other matters wanting. Ants who have, 
from some unknown cause, refused to work have been 
* Journal of Linnean Society, vol. v., p. 217. 
VOL* VII* (NeS.) 2 I 
