CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION

Position of ants in the Animal Kingdom-Ants divided into

three families-Number of species-Mode of observation-

Nests-Mode of marking ants-Stages in life of ants-Egg,

larva, pupa, imago-Length of life-Structure of ants-

Head, thorax, abdomen, antennæ, eyes, ocelli, mouth parts,

legs, wings, sting-Origin of the sting-Character of ants—

Wars among ants-Modes of fighting-Queen ants-Workers

-Different classes of workers-The honey ant-Soldiers-

Origin of the soldiers-Division of labour-Habitations of

ants-Communities of ants-Food-Enemies-Character-

Industry-Games-Cleanliness

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CHAPTER II.

FORMATION AND MAINTENANCE OF NESTS.

Foundation of new nests-Doubts on the subject-Views of

Huber, Blanchard, Forel, St. Fargeau, Ebrard-Experiments

with queens- Foundation of a nest of Myrmica by two

queens-Adoption of queens-Fertility of workers-Eggs

laid by fertile workers always produce males-Queens seldom

produced in captivity—Origin of difference between queens

and workers-Longevity of ants-Arrangement of chambers

in a nest-Division of labour-The honey ant

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CHAPTER III.

ON THE RELATION OF ANTS TO PLANTS.

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Flowers and insects-Ants not so important in relation to

flowers as bees, but not without influence-Ants seldom

promote cross-fertilisation, and hence injurious to flowers-

Modes by which they are excluded Belt - Kerner

Aquatic plants - Moats Dipsacus - Slippery surfaces-

Gentian, snowdrop, cyclamen Concealment of honey-

Antirrhinum, Linaria, Campanula, Ranunculus, Lamium,

Primula, Geranium, &c.—Protection of honey by thickets

of spines or hairs-Protection by viscid secretions-Silene,

Senecio, Linnæa, Polygonum, &c.-Milky juice-Lactuca-

Nectaries on leaves—Leaf-cutting ants—Ants as tree guards

-Importance of ants in destroying other insects-Har-

vesting ants-Solomon-The Mischna-Meer Hassan Ali-

Sykes-Moggridge-Agricultural ants-Lincecum-McCook 50

CHAPTER IV.

RELATIONS TO OTHER ANIMALS.

Hunting ants-The Driver ants-Ecitons-Insects mimicking

ants-Enemies of ants-Parisites-Mites-Phora-Domestic

animals of ants-Aphides-Eggs of Aphides kept through

the winter by ants-Blind beetles-Pets-Progress among

ants-Relations of ants to one another-Stenamma-Solenopsis

-Slave-making ants Formica sanguinea - Polyergus

Expeditions of Polyergus-Polyergus fed by the slaves-

Strongylognathus-Degradation of Strongylognathus—Aner-

gates-Explanation of the present state of Strongylognathus

and Anergates-Progress among ants-Phases of life-

Hunting, pastoral, and agricultural species

CHAPTER V.

BEHAVIOUR TO RELATIONS.

Mr. Grote on Morality as a necessity of society'-Behaviour
of ants to one another-Statements of previous writers:

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Latreille, St. Fargeau, Forel--Difference of character among

ants - Experiments-Isolated combats-Neglect of com-

panions if in trouble-Experiments with insensible ants

Drowned ants-Buried ants-Contrast of behaviour to

friends and strangers-Instances of kindness-A crippled

ant-A dead queen-Behaviour to chloroformed friends-

Behaviour to intoxicated friends

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CHAPTER VI.

RECOGNITION OF FRIENDS.

Number of ants in a community-They all recognise one another

-All others are enemies-Recognition after separation-

Strange ants never tolerated in a nest-Experiments-Be-

haviour to one another after a separation of more than a

year-Recognition unmistakable-How are they recognised?

-Some naturalists have suggested by scent, some by a

pass-word-Experiments with intoxicated ants--With pupæ

removed from the nest and subsequently returned-Separa-

tion of a nest into two halves, and recognition as friends by

the ants in each half of young bred in the other half-Pupæ

tended by ants from a different nest treated as friends in

the nest from which they were taken, and as strangers if

put into the nest of their nurses-Recognition neither per-

sonal nor by means of a pass-word

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CHAPTER VII.

POWER OF COMMUNICATION.

Statements of previous writers: Kirby and Spence, Huber,

Franklin, Dugardin, Forel-Habit of bringing friends to

food-Exceptional cases-Experiments to determine whether

ants are brought or directed to stores of food-Scent-Sight

-Experiments with different quantities of food-Ants

which returned empty-handed and brought friends to

assist

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CHAPTER VIII.

THE SENSES OF ANTS.

SIGHT:-Difficulty of understanding how insects see-Number

of eyes - Two theories-Views of Müller, Grenacher,

Lowne, Claparede-Appreciation of colour-Sensitiveness

to violet-Perception of ultra-violet rays. HEARING:-An-

tennæ regarded by many entomologists as organs of hearing

-Opinions as to whether ants, bees, and wasps hear-

General opinion that bees and wasps can hear-Huber and

Forel doubt in the case of ants-Experiments with ants-

Forel's observations-Colonel Long-Mr. Tait-Structure of

anterior tibia. THE SENSE OF SMELL

CHAPTER IX.

GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.

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Statements of previous writers-Economy of labour-Experi-

ments as to ingenuity in overcoming obstacles and econo-

mising labour-Experiments with bridges, embankments,

and moats-Earthworks-Ingenuity in building nests-

Difficulty in finding their way-Experiments with movable

objects-Sense of direction-Experiments with rotating

disks-Experiments with rotating table-Influence of light 236

CHAPTER X

BEES.

Difficulty experienced by bees in finding their way-Communi-

cation between bees-Bees do not by any means always

summon one another when they have discovered a store of

food-Bees in strange hives-Infatuation of bees-Want of

affection-Behaviour to queen-Sentinels-The sense of

hearing-The sense of colour-Experiments with coloured

papers-Power of distinguishing colours-Preference for

blue-Influence of bees on the colours of flowers-Blue

flowers-Paucity of blue flowers-Blue flowers of compara-

tively recent origin

274

CHAPTER XI.

WASPS.

Communication among wasps-Like bees, they by no means

invariably bring companions when they have discovered a

store of food-Courage of wasps-Polistes gallica—A tame

wasp-Power of distinguishing colours-Wasps less guided

by colour than bees-Industry of wasps-A day's work-

Directness of flight of wasps

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