feed
themselves, and many perished of hunger. Huber then introduced a single
slave (F. fusca), and she instantly set to work, fed and saved the
survivors; made some cells and tended the larvae, and put all to rights.
What can be more extraordinary than these well-ascertained facts? If we
had not known of any other slave-making ant, it would have been
hopeless to have speculated how so wonderful an instinct could have been
perfected.

Formica sanguinea was likewise first discovered by P. Huber to be
a slave-making ant. This species is found in the southern parts of
England, and its habits have been attended to by Mr. F. Smith, of the
British Museum, to whom I am much indebted for information on this and
other subjects. Although fully trusting to the statements of Huber and
Mr. Smith, I tried to approach the subject in a sceptical frame of
mind, as any one may well be excused for doubting the truth of so
extraordinary and odious an instinct as that of making slaves. Hence
I will give the observations which I have myself made, in some little
detail. I opened fourteen nests of F. sanguinea, and found a few slaves
in all. Males and fertile females of the slave-species are found only in
their own proper communities, and have never been observed in the nests
of F. sanguinea. The slaves are black and not above half the size of
their red masters, so that the contrast in their appearance is very
great. When the nest is slightly disturbed, the slaves occasionally come
out, and like their masters are much agitated and defend the nest: when
the nest is much disturbed and the larvae and pupae are exposed, the
slaves work energetically with their masters in carrying them away to a
place of safety. Hence, it is clear, that the slaves feel quite at home.
During the months of June and July, on three successive years, I have
watched for many hours several nests in Surrey and Sussex, and never
saw a slave either leave or enter a nest. As, during these months,
the slaves are very few in number, I thought that they might behave
differently when more numerous; but Mr. Smith informs me that he has
watched the nests at various hours during May, June and August, both in
Surrey and Hampshire, and has never seen the slaves, though present
in large numbers in August, either leave or enter the nest. Hence he
considers them as strictly household slaves. The masters, on the other
hand, may be constantly seen bringing in materials for the nest, and
fo