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Moor Park

(Mistaken Instinct) Ch X

July 23 /59/ Observed number of ants by great nest by Wall, F. flava rufa or wood-ant carrying out of nest the pupæ-skins. They carried others about to 33 measured yards on road to Tall larch-tree; three ascended tree, & once I watched so high up tree till out of sight.— One perhaps (I have now no doubt that was so) dropped skin at foot of tree; at last I then lost sight of it— In another part of Park, I watched during two days same Formica carrying away of old pupa-skins out of nest to about 60 yards distant, on road to Larch tree. Here the ant dropped it; other ants examined it, but then left it.— I then kicked it up, & carried it back

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to near nest, on the same highway, & then the first ant that came across it, carried it off on same road!

⸮ A blundering instinct or what? The number of pupæ skins removed all day long during these several days [illeg] great.

I also observed F. sanguinea carrying pupæ-skins case 2 or 3 feet from nest, but did not watch them further.—

25th again I have watched two ants carrying the skins till they arrived over at actual foot of the Larch tree & others to within 4 or 5 yards; & then both dropped the skins. Another, I believe dropped it several yards further off. The skins retard progress of ant greatly; the larger torn skins most, so that then are dropped by others carrying skins— Labor useless for they are so light that gentlest breeze blows them away.— I took two skins from 2 ants on the road & brought them to near nest, & then soon 2 ants started with them on the same journey.

The preciousness of pupæ perhaps helps blunder. Begin with Birds broken egg-shells.— admit no doubt useful from vast numbers being brought out of nest; rest a blunder,

[97]

Ch X

July 24' 1859. Moor Park.— Saw a great migration of F. sanguinea from gigantic old nest to new 160 paced yards distant, in slightly crooked line— greater part of along rut in road.

On road numbers were crowded by a large heap of sand, which turned out on disturbance to be nest of F. flava; the master killed the little ants by the dozens & carried these pupæ back into the nest! I suspect they intend diminishing themselves then; but they also carried some pupæ from to the their nest to great new nest.— I suspect from nearness of some species of F. fusca running up sprays of Heath with pupæ in jaws that this was a mixed community of F. fusca & flava.—

The migration continued for at least from 1 to 6 o clock in evening

25th 1 oclock larvæ & pupæ still being carried!!!