ARCHITECTURE OF ANTS. ol 
The little columnsare from one totwolines 
in thickness, more or less round, of a 
height equal to that of the story they 
support, larger above and below than in 
the middle, a little flattened at the capital 
and base, and ranged in regular lines, 
since they have been worked out in the 
parallel partitions. What numerous apart- 
ments! What a series of lodges, halls 
and corridors do these insects not form 
by their own unsupported industry ; and 
what labour in so great an undertaking 
does it not cost them! 
The wood, in which ants of this species 
excavate these labyrinths, takes a blackish 
hue: —does this arise from the extrava- 
sated fluids of the tree entering into 
combination with the external air, or 
from theemanation of theants themselves, 
the odour of which may perhaps have 
some influence; or do the layers of wood, 
exposed by these insects, undergo any 
decomposition from combining with the 
formic acid? I cannot decide this ques- 
- tion; but I rest well assured, that the 
D2 
LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
