July 1, 1S68.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



159 



all over the country ; during the summer months 

 the supply of this popular article of food is large 

 and continuous all over Erance. As upon the former 

 occasions, conferences on various subjects connected 

 with insectology, will take place in the exhibition. 

 Foreigners are invited to take part in the coming 

 exhibition, applications to be sent in before the '20th 

 of July, to the secretary of the society, No. 1, Rue 

 Cadette, Paris, or at the Palais de l'lndustrie. The 

 insects or other objects of exhibition are to be sent 

 in before the 25th of July, and the exhibition opens 

 on the 1st, and closes on the 31st of August. The 

 following are the principal heads of classification :— 

 Eirst division — Useful insects : — 1st class : Silk-pro- 

 ducing insects. These will form the most important 

 feature of the exhibition ; the malady of the galtlne, 

 which has existed amongst the silkworms ever since 

 184S, is estimated to have caused a loss amounting 

 to more than 60,000,000 francs, or nearly 1\ millions 

 sterling per annum ; 2nd class, Insects producing 

 honey and wax ; 3rd class, Insects used in dyeing 

 and for colour ; 4th class, Edible insects, Crustacea, 

 and molluscs ; 5th class, Insects employed for me- 

 dical use ; 6th class, Insects used as ornaments. 

 Second division — Destructive insects : — Ten classes, 

 viz., those which attack cereals, the vine, plants used 

 in industrj', forage, vegetables and ornamental 

 plants, fruit-trees, forest-trees, timber used for 

 building, truffles and fungi, dry organic matters, and, 

 lastly, parasites of man and domestic animals. The 

 third division includes three classes — carnivorous in- 

 sects, parasitic insects, destructive of chrysalides, 

 and insectivorous animals, birds, and reptiles. The 

 fourth division includes insects and other creatures 

 destructive of molluscs, and notices respecting 

 edible snails and the benefit that cultivators may 

 derive from them. Lastly, optical instruments for 

 entomological purposes, and special apparatus con- 

 nected with the rearing or destruction of insects. 

 Medals and honourable mentions will be awarded 

 for the most remarkable objects exhibited. — Journal 

 of the Society of Arts. 



ANTS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. 



On Friday, May 8th, while some workmen were 

 removing the flooring of the passage in my house at 

 Upper Norwood, they discovered an ant's nest 

 built between two of the joists, and resting on the 

 ceiling of the cellar below. No inconvenience had 

 been suffered by the family ; we only knew of the 

 presence of our fellow-tenants from their passing in 

 and out under the doorstep. 



The nest seems to be composed of masticated 

 wood, and, from the beams being much eaten away, 

 there is every reason to believe that such is the 

 case. If it be so, this is a singular specimen of 

 industry, as the number of mouthfuls represented by 

 the entire mass is utterly beyond computation. 



Every fine day numbers of bahy insects may be seen 

 as they are carried out for an airing by careful 

 nurses, who, after a few minutes' promenade, return 

 indoors with their charges. Occasionally, too, an 

 ant may be seen passing in a contrary direction to 

 the main stream, saluting every one it meets. All 

 stop as they reach it, receive a stroke from its 

 mandibles, and then hurry on as before. 



They seem to have but little notion of locality, 

 taking most circuitous routes when out of a beaten 

 track, and often returning to their startingpoint. 

 When first placed in their new quarters, groups 

 would gather on various projections, stand on their 

 hind legs, and apparently make a general survey, 

 but no determinate policy resulted from it. At last 

 a lump of sugar being placed near the nest, and too 

 much water poured upon it, a stream of syrup ran 

 down the side next the Erench Court ; this the 

 ants followed, and so found their way to the base of 

 the column. They have since coutinued in this 

 track, and on hot days thousands may be seen 

 ascending and descending. 



Ants appear to require abundance of water, and 

 in their eagerness to obtain it, many at first fell 

 into the tank which surrounds them. As this 

 threatened a speedy extinction of the population, a 

 wooden stage was provided, with slopes at intervals. 

 Since then few accidents have occurred, and it is 

 hoped the swarm may be preserved for some time 

 to come. 



An instance of their sagacity deserves mention. 

 An ant, having fallen into the water, was on the 

 poiut of drowning, when another, perceiving its 

 danger, came to the rescue aud drew it out again. 

 Einding it too much exhausted to stand, it endea- 

 voured to carry the sufferer home up the column. 

 The burden, however, proved too great ; so, after 

 ascending a few inches, it was obliged to relinquish 

 it ; the patient fell down heavily, and remained 

 senseless on the base. Its rescuer, however, im- 

 mediately returned and made a second attempt, but 

 was again overpowered by the weight. Another 

 ant now perceived the difficulty, came to its assist- 

 ance, and by united efforts the pair placed their 

 friend in safety. 



These ants seem to be geuerally of a harmless 

 description, as I have had my hands completely 

 covered with them without feeling any ill-clfects. 

 In one case, however, having pointed my finger 

 towards a little fellow who stood guarding one of 

 the entrances, he flew at it most savagely, and did 

 his best to chastise my impertinence. 



Should any one require further information, it will 

 give me great pleasure to furnish it, if in my power ; 

 and I shall be thankful for the suggestions of any 

 who have attended to tire habits of these curious 

 insects. Robert B. Holt. 



French Court, Crystal Palace. 



N.B. — The species is probably Formica fuliginosa. 



