G2 [Marcb, 



the origin of the ants' nests. The cool, damp under-sides of the 

 boulders naturally draw the roots of plants and attract their parasites 

 to them, while at the same time they afford the requisite conditions 

 for establishing young communities of the ants. The latter instinc- 

 tively search for these sites, and while thus engaged several of the 

 sexes meet and associate together to form new nests. Beneath some 

 of the stones we have often observed where they had only commenced 

 to excavate their galleries, and we have seen others in course of pro- 

 gress — from the most rudimentary to the highly finished and numerous 

 galleries in the nests of old and flourishing communities. In studying 

 their habits we invariably use a large strong lens, which enables us to 

 note their treatment of the minute Coccids associating with them ; 

 where a few ants are establishing themselves, and the stone be turned 

 over, they will generally remain motionless for a few seconds, as if 

 bewildered, then moving slowly right and left, they begin to move 

 rapidly about the new site, judging from some of their motions they 

 appear to me under these circumstances scarcely to know their where- 

 abouts. Their actions are, however, different in the more advanced 

 stages of the nests, as they exhibit a clearer perception, and move 

 with more deliberation. In old established communities, they possess 

 a perfect knowledge of their surroundings. In selecting sites for new 

 nests, the ants appear invariably to select such where the roots are 

 already occupied by Aphides and Coccids, and soon the ants begin to 

 act as their guardians. If a newly selected site be disturbed by 

 turning over the stone, the Aphides and Coccids will occasionally 

 leave it, and the ants will disappear with them. Whilst examining 

 many of the new sites, we have frequently observed the heads of 

 several of the ants to be covered with the white cottony secretion of 

 the Aphides anrl Coccids, as if they had been removing them, or 

 obtaining food from the secretion ; this we noted on first turning 

 over tbe stone. When the work of excavating the galleries has com- 

 menced, the ants do not readily desert the site, and they bestow great 

 care on the domestic, or economic, inhabitants of their nests. In a 

 short time after the selection of a site, the ants, especially the males, 

 will seize a Coccid and carry it about the nest, apparently merely to 

 protect it ; I have frequently tried with a long fine pin to induce an 

 ant to relax its hold of the Coccid, but without success, the experi- 

 ment invariably excited the ant, and caused it to quicken its pace. 

 When a portion of a gallery is formed, or any interstices occur among 

 the small stones in the site, the ants carry and deposit the Coccids in 

 such places of safety : in old communities they are borne into the 



