FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 125 
I took, at the end of April, from a nest 
of Yellow Ants, several young females ; 
their wings were unfolded, and of a 
whitish hue, like those recently removed 
from their envelope. ‘They enjoyed full 
liberty in their habitation ; which proves, 
as we shall presently see, that they were 
still virgins. We know, moreover, that 
it is a very rare occurrence should the 
males impregnate them in the interior of 
the nest. I enclosed them in a glazed 
ant-hill, with some labourers of the same 
family, and observed their conduct 
during several months. The labourers 
were far from evincing the same degree 
of interest for them as for pregnant fe- 
males: they appeared to treat them with 
indifference ; and this was the more natu- 
ral, as these females had adopted the 
manners and character of the neuters. 
Their timidity had disappeared, and given 
place to a sort of boldness, or rather iras- 
cibility, which I perceived every time I 
opened the door to give them nourish- 
ment ; they darted forth upon my hands, 
¢ 3 
