38 



THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



[i, I, JAN. 1905 



inch wide and double thick, and then upon these cement four 

 other strips so that the wall will be at least one-fourth inch high. 

 Avoid interstices where ants might hide or escape. 



The space enclosed by the glass wall is divided by one or two 

 partitions double the width of the wall, but otherwise made the 

 same way. The glass strips for these partitions are cut short so 

 as to leave a passageway from room to room, and this passage is 

 covered with a strip of thin celluloid or mica. 



After cement is well dried, the edge of the floor plate and the 

 outside of walls are covered with opaque cloth or paper, using 

 some liquid glue. These edges may be painted with black enamel, 

 but cloth is said to wear better. 



■ M- 



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In the Fielde nests ants have lived for three years. 



There is a glass roof-pane for each room in the nest. The glass 

 is thin ; extends to the middle of the partition and to the outer 

 edges of the walls on which it rests ; prevents the exit of ants ; 

 and permits observation of their behavior. The glass may be 

 without color, or it may be a red or orange tint (such as photo- 

 graphers use) that will partially exclude ultra-violet light. Ants 

 perceive rays of light which are of short wave-length, and by use 

 of a spectroscope, a glass rooting has been selected which renders 

 the ants visible within the nest while it protects them from the 

 light-rays which they instinctively shun. If such glass is used for 

 roofing the nest, the ants will behave as if in darkness where they 

 habitually live. 



The glass roof-panes rest upon a cushion of Turkish toweling 

 which is glued to the top of the wall of the nest. This allows 

 ventilation and prevents the escape of the ants. In its simplest 



