The Red Ants 



feeling, fumbling and exploring, superintend- 

 ing, as it were, the finishing touches given to 

 the work. They are her instruments of pre- 

 cision ; they represent the builder's compasses, 

 square, level and plumb-line. 



Hitherto, my experiments have been con- 

 fined to the females, who are much more faith- 

 ful to the nest by virtue of their maternal re- 

 sponsibilities. What would the males do if 

 they were taken from home ? I have no great 

 confidence in these swains who, for a few 

 days, form a tumultuous throng outside the 

 nests, wait for the females to emerge, quarrel 

 for their possession, amid endless brawls, and 

 then disappear when the works are in full 

 swing. What care they, I ask myself, about 

 returning to the natal nest rather than settling 

 elsewhere, provided that they find some recipi- 

 ent for their amatory declarations? I was 

 mistaken : the males do return to the nest. It 

 is true that, in view of their lack of strength, 

 I did not subject them to a long journey : about 

 half a mile or so. Nevertheless, this repre- 

 sented to them a distant expedition, an un- 

 known country; for I do not see them go on 

 long excursions. By day, they visit the nests 

 or the flowers in the garden; at night, they 

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