36 ARCHITECTURE OF ANTS. 
cording to Latreille, by their having the 
body, head, and abdomen, of a shining 
dark ash-colour, the base of the antennze 
and the feet reddish, the scale large and 
nearly triangular, and three small ocellé 
or simple eyes. 
The Ash-coloured Ants build in aman- 
ner very different from the Brown Ants. 
man, as many as 80,000 eggs in the course of 24 
hours: hence the necessity for the numerous at- 
tendants by whom she is continually surrounded.) In 
an Ant-Hill of such extensive size, and where there 
is such an infinity of chambers to accommodate its 
numerous inhabitants, there must be of necessity 
a vast number of subterraneous and winding 
passages. These passages, which conduct to the 
upper parts of the dome, are carried in a spiral 
manner round the building, for the Labourers find 
it extremely difficult to ascend in a less circuitous 
direction. Very frequently, however, to shorten the 
distance to the upper nurseries, where they have 
to take the eggs, they project an arch of about ten 
inches in length, and half an inch in breadth, 
grooved or worked into steps, on its upper surface 
to allow of a more easy passage. When these 
insects quit their nest on any expedition, they con- 
struct covered galleries of clay which sometimes. 
run to a considerable distance, and under this they 
continue their extensive and highly dreaded depre- 
dations. — T. 
