Cli/ton College Scientific Society. 37 



thus possesses a consistency which enables the ant to use it in the 

 formation of its story. Some ants will construct their nests in the 

 leaves of trees. Sir Joseph Banks noticed, in Xew South Wales, a 

 nest which consisted of two large leaves, held together by thousands 

 of ants, and when these ants were driven away the leaves sprang back 

 with great violence. 



And now, having noticed the habitations of these insects, let us go 

 on to consider some of their habits. You j^robably are aware that 

 ants live in societies, and that there exist in these societies males, 

 females, and what are termed workers. Of course, besides these, 

 there are the pupai and larvte. 



The females, when first born, have wings, but these they soon lose; 

 their office is merely to furnish a constant supply of eggs, to keep up 

 the number in its nest. The males also have wings ; their only office 

 is the impregnation of the females, and after this season has passed 

 they die. By far the largest portion of the community consists of 

 the so called workers, or sterile females. The workers in some 

 societies are of two sizes. The large ones, which are found to be 

 what are termed soldiers, are about twice the size of the other 

 workers, and are armed with tremendous jaws, and their office is 

 expressly to defend the rest of the community. M. Lrrnd describes 

 the movements of the soldiers during a march. He says that they do 

 not mix with the mass of the moving column, but, stationed on their 

 flanks, they are seen to march forward, then to return and halt a 

 moment, as if to observe the troop defile before them, traversing its 

 ranks, and hastening to any point where their presence is required. 

 Sometimes they have even been noticed to climlD up any plants that 

 may be near, and watch the main body march past. 



These, then, are the individuals making up a society of ants ; we 

 will now trace the life history of these individuals. 



On looking into an ant's nest one can observe the pupae heaped up 

 in their lodges, and the larv^ collected together and guarded by the 

 workers. Again one notices a number of workers following ants of 

 larger size, these are the mothers, and as they walk along they lay 

 their eggs, which are immediately taken up by the workers, who are 

 following, in their mouths, and collected in little heaps. These 

 eggs are of different forms and sizes. The smallest are white and 

 cylindrical ; the largest, transparent and slightly arched at each end ; 

 the medium size are semi-transparent. At the end of fifteen days 

 the little worm, or larva, is seen to quit the shell. Its body is then 

 transparent, and has a head and wings ; is wholly unable to support 

 itself, and therefore requires the assistance of the workers. The 

 greatest possible care is taken of these larvte. They ai-e iisually guarded 

 by a number of ants, who are always prepared to attack an intruder. 

 M. Huber noticed the ants conveying their young to enjoy the warmth 

 of the sun. He saw the ants, as soon as the sun began to shine, 

 descending rapidly to the bottom of the ant hill, and strike with 

 their antenna the other ants, and jostle their companions, who 



