MIXED ANT-HILL. 811 
formerly, give the name of ruche. It 
consisted of a double vertical frame, 
twenty inches in length, by ten in depth, 
glazed on both sides; the distance be- 
tween the two frames was only ten lines. 
I found this, however, too great, and, 
therefore, lessened it by placing a sheet 
of tin, drilled in numerous places, pa- 
rallel with the two glasses. On the fore- 
part of the ruche was a vertical port- 
cullis, which could be raised or lowered 
at will, thus answering as a door. (This 
apparatus should not be raised upon feet, 
like those I have before described, but 
should be so constructed as to rest im- 
mediately upon the earth, by means of 
two very strong /iteaux, inserted in the 
bottom of the ruche, and projecting, on 
each side.) Two wooden shutters ex- 
cluded the light, and several holes, drilled 
in the upper part of the apparatus, allow- 
ed of my presenting honey to the ants, 
or pouring water into the interior, as 
often as it should be judged necessary. 
It was in this ruche, of which we may see 
