FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 137 
earth, and supplying them with food. 
This box remained in my chamber dur- 
ing the whole of the winter. The ants 
were by no means benumbed; they ap- 
peared to follow, in every respect, their 
instinct, which was most remarkable, 
near the female, who, every time she at- 
tempted to move, was surrounded by so 
great a multitude of workers, that it was 
only by their very slow movement I 
could be assured of her existence. On 
my too frequently visiting the chamber 
in which she commonly rested, her 
guardians prepared for her another, at a 
little distance, and conducted her to it, 
enticing her forward by offering her 
food. 
I preserved this family from the month 
of November to the end of April. I 
then removed it to another apparatus. 
In lieu of a glazed box, I took a large 
glass, in the bottom of which I placed a 
little earth. I then covered it over with 
a little piece of wood, which entered 
about midway into the vessel; and on the 
