1881.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 43 



Sir John. I have often observed the same fact among various 

 species, and, knowing by experience, the difficulty of imloosing 

 those formidable jaws, clasped by their immense muscles in the 

 rigor of death, would charge it to inability rather than indisposi- 

 tion, that these adhering death's-heads are not removed bj^ kindly 

 offices of comrades. But such examples as are here recorded, 

 together with kindred ones given by Lubbock, may fairly be 

 quoted against the existence of a personal benevolent character in 

 ants. However, the question can by no means be regarded as 

 settled. 



Cleansing and Feeding Larv^. — One or two miscellaneous 

 observations may, perhaps, be allowed a place in this connection. 

 The solicitude of the workers for the helpless larvje was a matter 

 for continual admiration. The offices of nurse do not seem to be 

 confined to any one caste, but the burden of dut}^ appeared to be 

 assumed bj' the dwarfs, and next to them the minors. 



When the grub is to be cleansed it is taken in the mouth, turned 

 by the fore pair of legs, the antennae meanwhile touching and 

 apparently aiding, while the mandibles are applied over the grub 

 their teeth apparentl}" working chieflj" within the annular divisions 

 of the several joints. Doubtless this motion is accompanied by a 

 free use of the tongue, but this I did not observe. 



When the grubs are to be fed^ the workers pass from one to 

 another, striding over them, and standing among them (PL YI 

 fig. 34) as the}^ lie in little groups. The wee white things perk up 

 their brownish yellow heads, which thej' stretch out and move 

 around, evidently soliciting food. Their nurses move from one to 

 another, apply the mouth for a moment, and pass on. 



At the slightest alarm the grubs are seized and hurried into the 

 recesses of the nest. Their position is frequently changed, from 

 higher to lower, from outer to inner rooms, and the reverse, with- 

 out any purpose which I could discover or imagine. When this 

 sort of transfer was not going on, the nurses would often be 

 engaged in shifting the position of their charges, flitting restlessly 

 among them, picking them up, turning them around, putting them 

 down again, with an aimless uneasiness that bore an amusing like- 

 ness to the dandling which human infants undergo at the hands 

 of certain j^oung mothers. 



Toilet Habits. — It has been said that the hone}- -bearers are 

 cleansed by the workers. This is the rule ; bxit the rotunds are 



