256 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



edifice higher, and also to make it more securej tiian 

 they otherv.ise might. It was wholly formed of 

 small grains of moist earth, piled up between the 

 stems of the lily without any apparent cement ; in- 

 deed it has been ascertained by Huber, as we shall 

 afterwards see, that they use no cement beside water. 

 This is not always to be procured, as they depend 

 altogether on rains and dew; but they possess the art 

 of joining grains of dry sand so as to support one 

 another, on some similar principle, no doubt, to that 

 of the arch. 



The nest which our turf-ants constructed in the 

 flower-pot was externally of an imperfect square form. 

 in consequence of its situation; for they usually prefer 

 a circular plan. The principal chambers were placed 

 under the arches, and, when inspected, contained a 

 pile of cocoons and pupae. Beneath those upper 

 chambers there were others dug out deeper down, in 

 which were also a numerous collection of eggs and 

 cocoons in various stages of advancement.* 



Mr Knapp describes a still more curious structure 

 of another species of ant common in this country: — 

 ^' One year," says he, *' on the third of JMarch, my 

 labourer being employed in cutting up ant-hills, or 

 tumps as we call them, exposed to view multitudes 

 of the yellow species [Formica Flava) in their 

 winter's retirement. They were collected in numbers 

 in little cells and compartments communicating with 

 others by m.eans of narrow passages. In many of 

 the cells they had deposited their larvsc, which they 

 were surrounding and attending, but not brooding 

 over or covering. Being disturbed by our rude ope- 

 rations, they removed them from our sight to more 

 hidden compartnients. The larvffi v/ere small. Some 

 of these ant-hills contained multitudes of the young 

 of the wood-louse {Oniscus armadillo), inhabiting 



''' J. R. 



