ANT COMMUNITIES 



without, they present the appearance of a rude stone 

 wall in miniature. Around these gates gathers the daily 

 out-door life of the ants. Back and forth through them 

 citizens of the commonwealth are continually moving 

 during the working hours of the day. 



My observations throughout the latter part of July 

 showed that the gates are ordinarily opened near or 



shortly after 8 A.M., 

 but full activity of 

 the colony did not 

 begin until toward 9 

 o'clock. The general 

 statement is warrant- 

 ed that the gates are 

 opened between 8 and 

 9 o'clock A.M. This 

 is not an early hour 

 to go on duty for in- 

 -v / sects that have such 

 a high reputation for 

 industry. However, 

 one must remember 

 that the interior work 

 of a formicary, which 



Fig. 40 OCCIDENT ANTS CLOSING GATES 1S VG1 Y g 1 6a ^' Hiay 



still going on behind 



closed doors. Moreover, I found that in a special exig- 

 ency as injury to a mound by floods the ants modify 

 their habit, and are found hard at out-door work at 

 early hours. 



The manner of opening a gate cannot be fully de- 

 scribed, because the work is done chiefly within and 

 behind the outer door of gravel. Doubtless the mode 



68 



