1883.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 301 



the body. Their state of comparative torpor was thought to imme- 

 diatel}' precede the act of spinning. At this date the workers 

 had become less nervous in their motions, and the female seemed 

 to have resigned most of her labors to them, resting much of the 

 time quietly in one place. 



August 16, the third worker had emerged and was found quite 

 at home in attending to its duties. The second grown larva was 

 then still uncovered and quiescent. Very close observation was 

 required to show that it still breathed, and it made no other 

 visible motion. 



These observations of Mr. Potts establish or confirm the fol- 

 lowing points : (1) The manner of depositing the eggs, which, as 

 well as the larvae, are cared for by the queen until workers are 

 matured ; (2) the stages in the development of the egg and larvai 

 are partiall}^ noted ; (3) the time requiied for the change from 

 larval to pupal state is about thirty days ; (4) about the same 

 period is spent in the pupa state, the entire period of transforma- 

 tion being about sixty days; (5) the work of rearing the first 

 broods of Camponotus begins the latter part of June or earl}' in 

 July; (6) about twenty-four hours are spent by larva? in spinning 

 up into cocoon; (7) the ant queen probably assists the callow 

 antling to emerge from its case ; (8) not onl}- the larvae, but 

 occasionally also the antlings, are fed by the queen ; (9) the 

 young workers, shortly after emerging, begin the duty of nurses, 

 cari^ig for the eggs and tending the larvae. Some of these points 

 thus abstracted and formulated by him Dr. MeCook was subse- 

 quently able to confirm from observations upon the same queen. 

 His thanks were due Mr. Potts for the intelligent and successful 

 manner in which his suggestions had been carried out. 



The following was ordered to be printed ; — 



