92 EGGS, &c.. OF. ANTS. 
singular constitution, in the resemblance 
the labourers have with the female 
ants, relatively to their external sexual 
organs. The connexion which exists be- 
tween ants, and hive and humble bees, 
throws additional light upon this subject, 
by showing us labourers demi-fecund 
with the one *, and little rival females, 
abundant enough with the other. + » That 
solicitude also which the labouring ants 
evince for the larva, whose birth they 
have witnessed, clearly discovers their 
sex, and would be sufficient to prove that 
they are neither neuters nor males, 
even if the conduct of the males towards 
them did not indicate that they belong to 
the class of females. This observation, 
which I have several times made, (the. 
details of which I suppress, ) leaves me in 
no doubt upon this point. I shall here 
only add, that I have never known the 
* Nouvelles Observations sur les Abeilles, par F. 
Huber. 
+ V. Linn. Trans. vol. vi. Memoir upon Humble 
Bees, by the Author of these researches, 
