1 8 ABOUT ANTS. 



they do not work; they do not appear to over- 

 look those which do work. The hairy-helmeta 

 are not known to do any more. If tlie top o^ 

 one of the mounds be taken off, a circular weh 

 will be found in the centre, into which a stick 

 three or four feet long may be thrust, without 

 touching bottom. Presently some of these 

 hairy -headed fellows, each wearing one eye 

 in the middle of its forehead, like a fabled 

 Cyclops, will come slowly up the smooth sides 

 of the well, to see what is wanted. But they 

 are not very pugnacious, and may easily be 

 caught by the fingers. 



The winged ants are the perfect males and 

 females. They come out a little after midsum- 

 mer, that is in February. The females have 

 bodies about as large as hornets, and spread* 

 their wings nearly two inches.' The males are 

 much smaller. Although hosts pour out of the 

 nests, few remain after a day, for the birds and 

 insect eating animals have devoured most of 

 them. Those which escape found new colo- 

 nies in spite of all the dangers which threaten 



