ARCHITECTURE OF ANTS. 9) 
night approached, gradually lessened. 
The aperture at length totally disappear- 
ed, the dome was closed on all sides, and 
the ants retired to the bottom of their nest. 
In further noticing the apertures of 
these ant-hills, I fully ascertained the 
nature of the labour of its inhabitants, 
of which I could not before even guess 
the purport; for the surface of the nest 
presented such a constant scene of agita- 
tion, and so many insects were occupied 
in carrying materials in every direction, 
that the movement offered no other image 
than that of confusion. 
I saw then clearly that they were en- 
gaged in stopping up their passages ; and 
for this purpose, they at first brought for- 
ward little pieces of wood, which they de- 
posited near the entrance of those avenues 
they wished to close, they placed them 
above the aperture, and even sunk them 
in the stubble; they then went to seek 
other ligneous fragments which they dis- 
posed above the first, but in a different 
direction, and appeared to choose frag- 
BO 
