38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [1881. 



It was eighty-two inches from the central gate, forty and one-half 

 inches below the level of the main nest gate, and twenty-nine and 

 one-half inches below the level of the hill-side. The entire length 

 of the formicary from northwest to southeast was thus seven feet 

 eight inches.^ 



VII. QuEEisr Life. 



The captured queen of the large excavated nest was transported 

 to Philadelphia, placed in one of my artificial nests, a large glass 

 globe, and afforded several interesting observations npon her 

 habits. 



Her Body-Guard. — After the usual custom of ants, she was 

 continually surrounded by a guard of workers (PI. VI, fig. 29) 

 var^'iug in number, but usually as many as twelve or twenty. 

 These attendants quite enclosed her, and restricted her move- 

 ments, apparently watching and guarding her with great careful- 

 ness. On one occasion when she escaped to the upper surface of 

 the nest, she was followed and seized by a worker-m:ijor, who 

 interlocked her mandibles with the queen's (PI. VI, fig. 26) and 

 dragged her down the gateway into the interior. The royal lad}"^ 

 gave only a passive resistance, holding back somewhat heavily. 



Depositing Eggs. — I quote from my notes the description of 

 this process, the various stages of which I was also able to sketch. 

 " The queen has been laying a small heap of eggs. She is now on 

 a little elevation of earth, surrounded by a number of workers of 

 all castes, some of whom lick her abdomen, especially beneath and 

 at the apex. One, meanwhile, gives her food in the usual wa}-, by 

 regurgitation. I see the tongues of the two insects overlap in the 



1 While preparing clay models of some of the above examples of ant 

 architecture for my cabinet of Insect Architecture in the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences, it was suggested that moulds be made, from which 

 plaster casts could be taken, for the benefit of such other scientific collec- 

 tions and public museums as they might be wished for. This I had done, 

 and the moulds are now in the hands of the Curator in charge of the 

 Academy, by whom they will be furnished, ujion proper order, at the cost 

 of reproduction and packing, as nearly as may be. Five sjjecimeus are 

 cast^viz., those figured at PL II, fig. 4, and PL V, figs. IG, 17, 22 and 23. 

 They are cast natural size, except fig. 16, which is half size. The cost, 

 painted natural coloi', will be SIO fm- the set, unpainted $6. Orders should 

 be sent to Charles F. Parker, Curator in charge Academy of Natural 

 Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A. 



