ARCHITECTURE OF ANTS. 11 
others issued from time to time from 
under the margin of the little roofs formed 
at the entrance of the galleries: others 
afterwards came forth who began remov- 
ing the wooden bars that blockaded the 
entrance, in which they readily succeed- 
ed. This labour occupied them several 
hours. ‘The passages were at length free, 
and the materials with which they had 
been closed scattered here and there over 
the ant-hill. 
Every day, morning and evening, 
during the fine weather, I was a witness 
tosimilar proceedings. On days of rain, 
the doors of all the ant-hills remain closed. 
When the sky is cloudy in the morning, 
or rain is indicated, the ants, who seem 
to be aware of it, open but in part their 
several avenues, and immediately close 
them when the rain commences. It 
would appear from this they are not 
insensible of the motive for which they 
form these temporary closures. 
To have an idea how the straw or 
stubble roof is formed, let us take a view 
BO 
