12o 



equally atteuded to. Further observations showed that nature 

 had provided most efficiently for them to ask for food when they 

 required it. This the larvse do by pouting their lips ; on this 

 notification of their requirement the first nurse who happens to 

 be passing stops and feeds them. The nurses are continually 

 moving about among them with pieces of fungus in their mouths 

 ready for a call for food. The nurses feed the minute larva, by 

 merely brushing the fungus across their lips shoAving that the 

 spores alone are sufficient for its food at that period of its life. 

 But it is not so Avhen the larva? have, increased so much in size, 

 that the pout can be seen Avithout a glass, for then the whole 

 piece after having been manipulated by the nurse's mandibles 

 into a ball, in the same manner as the leaves are served when 

 they are first brought into the nest, is placed in its throat and 

 if that is not sufficient the pout continues when the next one 

 and even the next passing proceeds with the feeding, till the 

 pout is withdrawn, showing that it is satisfied. No further 

 notice is then taken of it by the feeders, until it again asks for 

 a meal by pouting later in the day. 



All who have studied the habits of Ants kuoAV the affection 

 they evince toAvards the young ones in their different stages, 

 this is fully borne out Avhen the larva; have arrived at the stage 

 of being deprived of their skins. It is a most interesting sight 

 to watch the careful way in Avhich the skin is gently removed; 

 for it is quite a busines for some 4 or 6 Avorkers and occupies 

 them about an hour. 



The resulting pupa is a perfectly smooth doubled-up repre- 

 sentation of the Ant it is to be, almost like a piece of polished 

 marble. I may mention that Ants all start in the world 

 full sized, and never groAV afterAvards, nor are they fed during 

 the pupa stages. On the second day a thick Avbite growth com- 

 mences to cover the pupa, Avhen this coating is complete the 

 pupa, resembles a sculptor's roughed-out figure in Avhite statuary 

 marble, having one might consider gone back a stage. During 

 the next eleven days the eyes have become black and the pupa 

 is turning brOAvn. On the twentieth day, it has turned quite 

 brown, has to be again cleaned, and is ready then to be opened out 

 by the Avorkers. 



This is perhaps the prettiest operation to watch during the 

 Avhole process, most carefully four or five AVorkers, large and small, 

 proceed to pull out a leg, Avhich undergoes massage, then 

 another leg or one of the antenna). Each limb is treated separ- 

 ately. The workers seem satisfied, so soon as their patient 



