ANT QUEENS 



meanwhile rapidly vibrating with pleasure. She was 

 not prolific, but one or two eggs were added to the 

 original stock from time to time, until about August 

 15th, making the highest number counted, nineteen of 

 all ages. 



The larvae were at first scarcely larger than the eggs, 

 and only distinguishable upon close observation by the 

 slight grooves between the body segments and the ill- 

 defined head. They grew gradually at first, and after- 

 wards more rapidly, finally reaching a length of about 

 one-quarter-inch, when they began to spin their cocoons. 

 On the morning of July 20th, the first larva was sur- 

 rounded by a single layer of web, within which it could 

 be seen working. By evening the pupa-case was so 

 dense that the larva was hidden. On the morning of 

 the 21st, the second larva was covered, and the third 

 by the evening of the 22d'. 



On the evening of August 11th, a worker was running 

 about the bottle and already essaying its ministrations 

 upon the undeveloped eggs, and the next series of larvae, 

 quite as big and much heavier than itself. Thus we had 

 the period of thirty days, Jmie 20th to July 20th, occu- 

 pied in the development of the first eggs and the fulfil- 

 ment of the larval stage. From July 20th to August 

 11th, twenty-two days, were spent in the pupa state. 



The manner of the newly fledged worker was nervous 

 and far from soothing, especially to the well-grown larvte, 

 who evidently much preferred the mother's care to that 

 of the elder sister. This antling was not seen feeding 

 from the sugar, but upon one or two occasions made 

 osculatory advances towards its mother as if seeking 

 nutriment from the maternal fount, to which it became 

 accustomed during its wriggling larvahood. It con- 

 4 35 



