1889. ] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 101 
soil, then a circular piece of white pine board about two inches 
less in diameter than the glass jar, which is six inches wide by 
nine deep. I placed the board on the soil for them to feed upon, 
and then filled up between the circular board and the sides of 
the jar with more soil, for them to use in building galleries. 
Then, without disturbing or breaking the roof of a nest, I care- 
fully selected a piece of irregular form and trimmed it to go 
into the jar, leaving it about 6x4x5 inches, and placed it in the 
jar so that two sides touched the glass. It rested on the board, 
leaving a portion exposed for observation. The nest, I judge, 
contained several thousand nasuti and workers, the latter pre- 
dominating. In a few moments they accepted the situation, 
and began throwing up earth-works, repairing the broken nest, 
forming tunnels under the soil, stopping up holes, and cement- 
ing the sides of the nest to the glass jar,—all working harmoni- 
ously and after a well-defined plan. The gelatinous secretions 
were used sparingly at first, as the soil was moist and they were 
in a great hurry. It did not take them long to find that they 
could not crawl up the slippery sides of the glass, and they 
wasted no time on the attempt. 
It was interesting to watch them tunnel the soil next to the 
sides and bottom of the jar, sometimes ramming the soil with 
their heads, and again removing large grains to the surface, 
rarely using any secretions under ground. They put me in 
mind of a large crowd of men at a fire, only in this case they 
were all busy and none standing idle. Even the soldiers scur- 
ried around, apparently directing the workers to different places; 
their function seems to be as guards or sentinels to alarm the 
workers, and they do it well. They do not appear to fight or 
work. 
Having partially repaired their nest, and made a general sur- 
vey of their work, they began to divide into parties, each having 
apparently a certain portion to accomplish. The workers were 
busy eating the wood, gnawing, tugging, and pulling in good 
earnest. 
On the second day, a scouting party of soldiers (nasuti) on 
the top of the nest looked up anxiously to the top of the jar, 
and waved their antenne upwards, standing or tip-toe. They 
kept this position a long time, while others were running up. 
and down. IL soon divined their intention to be to find a way of 
escape from the jar. Meanwhile, thousands of workers were eat- 
ing the wood and working at nest-building as though they 
pepaded to stay there; not one appeared idle, sick, or even 
tired. 
On the evening of the second day, I saw a party of workers 
starting a track of cement up the side of the jar, using no soil, 
