HABITS OF ANTS 



249 



It was late in the evening, so that no attempt was made 

 to transfer the ants at that time. During the night the 

 little workers had discovered a hole in the side of the 

 can, previously stopped with a toothpick ; this they 

 chewed away. When found in the morning they had 

 taken themselves, their queen, their pupa 1 , eggs and 

 larva 1 , and were comfortably established in a piece of 

 glass tubing which chanced to be near by. Here, under 

 cover of a pasteboard box, these ants were an interesting 

 source of study and experimentation for the students 

 until the summer vacation, six weeks later. They were 

 country ants, and had to learn to like city ways. For 

 instance, at first they ran around over granulated sugar, 

 paying no attention to it; hut later, fed readily upon it. 

 The experiments conducted with these ants you can 

 likewise carry on. 



/ 



Ascertain what foods they will eat. 



Remove several from the nest, and return them the 

 next day. 



Place near the entrance to the nest a few ants of 

 the same species but from another nest, and note the 

 result. 



Study the action of the ants in their artificial nest, 

 the character of the tunnelings they build, how they 

 treat the young, the larva?, the pupa 1 , and the queen. 



Secure a copy of "Ants, Bees, and Wasps," by Sir 

 John Lubbock, the reading of which will suggest many 

 valuable experiments upon the actions and instincts of 

 this very colony of ants which you have established. 



