122 - FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 
among them. Some days after I saw 
them occupied in delivering other la- 
bourers from their last envelope: they 
acted in the same way as ordinary ants, 
aud did not appear embarrassed in the 
part which they now performed for the 
first time. 
Itis, therefore, evident, that females, in 
case of necessity, are enabled, unassisted, 
to educate their family. If I have en- 
deavoured to assure myself of this fact 
by proofs still more positive, it was less 
to remove any doubts on this point, than 
to satisfy my curiosity on the composition 
of these new colonies. 
After long researches, I discovered the 
retreat of these females, and the nascent 
ant-hills they had established. They 
were situated at a little depth in the earth. 
A small number of workers were seen by 
the side of the mother, and some larve 
‘which they nourished. I have seen two 
examples of these newly established co- 
Jonies. One of my friends, M. Perrot, 
of Neufchatel, a very excellent naturalist, 
