106 t PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



porting their eggs and young ones, in all stages of growth, from one hole to 

 another, running rapidly with the tender, maggot-like looking things, to 

 prevent them, as I thought, from being injured by the sun, which was hot 

 for the season. Others, again, who were not carrying the young, would dash 

 up behind the nearest queen, and, in a playful manner, seize her by the 

 extreme tips of her folded white wings with his calliper-like mandibles, 

 raise her from the ground, and rush headlong into the nearest hole with her. 

 The queens did not seem to relish this piece of rudeness, but they submitted 

 to it with good grace, and soon came frisking back to their lovers again. 

 I saw hundreds of them carried forcibly into their holes, in the same 

 playful style, by the workers, who, not unfrequently, snatched them rudely 

 from the embrace of the males. The males or drones of the erratic ant, un- 

 like most of the other species, have no wings; on which account it becomes 

 necessary for the queens to receive their embraces previous to taking their 

 flight, which they all do instantly, after they are satisfied with their lovers. 



The queens or mother ants of this species are not more than half the size 

 of the workers and nurses of the cities to which she belongs. She is not so 

 large as a small flea, and yet she takes her aerial voyage alone, and, if the 

 wind is strong, she may continue her flight many miles. When she descends 

 to earth again, she immediately cuts off her wings, which are no longer use- 

 ful, and goes to work to establish a new city. 



Just think of the great powers possessed by this small, almost microscopic 

 insect. Let us recount some of her known attributes. Poised on her tiny 

 white wings, all alone, and charged as she is, in embryo, with myriad nations 

 and kingdoms of her species, destined to flourish and perform their parts on 

 the future life stage, in the grand conflict for subsistence, confidently com- 

 mits herself to the swift winds, and, while in search of her new home, she 

 continues her aerial flight, perhaps, for hundreds of miles. She lights at 

 last, however, and, cutting away her wings, which are no longer necessary, 

 commences the work of excavating and preparing cells and apartments for 

 the coming generations. And now, supposing it to be true, that this is the 

 only ant of that species on the face of the globe, such is her wonderful pro- 

 lific powers, that it would require but very few short years for her to re- pro- 

 duce, and fill our yards, and paths, and hearths, and sugar barrels, as thickly 

 with the countless millions as we now find them. 



The deaths were announced of the following members : Mr. Augus- 

 tus Fiot, of Bethlehem, April 5th, and Mr. Robert E. Griffith, and 

 Col. Robert Carr, Correspondent. 



April 17th. 



Mr. Vaux, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Twenty-six members present. 



The deaths were announced of the following members : Mr. John 

 P. Crozer, March 11th, and Mr. Roland E. Evans, April 14th. 



April 24:(h. 



Mr. Vaux, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Thirty-one members present. 



The following gentlemen were elected Members : Mr. John B. 

 Parker, Joseph Thomas, M. D., Mr. Josiah Hoopes, Mr. Charles 



[April, 



