116 FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 
If I was surprised at seeing this fe- 
male strip herself of her wings volunta- 
rily, I was even more so, on finding that 
she did not appear to suffer from it, and 
that, after an act which would seem to us 
any thing but natural, she delivered her- 
self peaceably to her appetite, and sought 
a retreat, as if nothing out of the ordinary 
course had happened. ‘This fact merited 
confirmation. 
I introduced a second female under the 
bell-glass about two hours after the first, 
and with the same precaution, adding 
to the dry earth, strewed over the table, 
a little water, in order to allow these in- 
sects to undertake any labour to which 
their instinct might prompt them. When 
she perceived that she stood upon mois- 
tened earth, she advanced a few paces, 
then stopped to touch the ground with 
her antenne. This done, she took a po- 
sition to facilitate the dispossession of her 
wings; resting on her abdomen, she 
opened them in disorder, extended them 
in every direction, passed her legs behind 
