86 EGGs, &c. OF ANTS. 
giving liberty, but before they could re- 
lease it, it was absolutely necessary to en- 
large the opening; for this purpose, 
these guardians cut out a portion in the 
longitudinal direction of the cocoon, with 
their teeth alone, employing these instru- 
ments as we are in the habit of employing 
a pair of scissars. A considerable degree 
of agitation prevailed in this part of the 
ant hill ; anumber of ants were occupied 
in disengaging the winged individual of 
its envelope; they took repose and re- 
lieved each other by turns, evincing great 
eagerness in seconding their companions 
in this undertaking.* To eflect its 
* Among those ants I kept in confinement, | 
observed that considerable bustle prevailed when 
any of the pupz were about to quit the cocoon. 
For the most part, two or three stationed themselves 
on or near each cocoon. From seeing, more than 
once, two engaged in the operation of extricating 
the imprisoned ant from its envelope, I was desirous 
of ascertaining whether a single worker could ac- 
complish this operation. I therefore placed ina 
wine glass with a little moistened earth one of the 
Yellow Ants with three or four pupz; the first object 
with this little creature, was that of excavating a 
chamber for the deposition of its treasure. The 
