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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
PAGE
1
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
30
CHAPTER III.
ON THE RELATION OF ANTS TO PLANTS.
-
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:
63
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
93
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
119
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
. 153
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.
182
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
. 311