THE DAINTINESS OF ANTS 



There are no pastes and powders among these toilet 

 articles — at least as far as known — but the repertoire, 

 it will be seen, is tolerably complete: fine-tooth combs, 

 coarse or "reddin"' combs, hair-brushes and sponges, 

 washes and soap! — and all so conveniently attached to 

 the body and working-limbs, which are arms as well as 

 legs, that they are always literally "on hand" for 

 service. 



Ants have no set time for brushing up. But cer- 

 tain conditions plainly incite thereto — as when they feel 

 particularly comfortable ; as after eating, or after awak- 

 ing from or before going to sleep. The keen sense of 

 discomfort aroused by the presence of dirt incites to 

 cleansing. Often one may see an ant suddenly pause 

 in the midst of the duties of field or formicary and begin 

 to comb herself. Here is a mountain mound-maker 

 (Formica exsecto'ides) driven by the passion of nest- 

 building to the utmost fervor of activity. Suddenly 

 she drops out of the gang of fellow-workers, and mount- 

 ing a near-by clod, poses upon her hind legs and plies 

 teeth, tongue, and comb. For a few moments the aim 

 of being is centred upon that act. Around her coign of 

 vantage sweeps to and fro the bustling host of builders 

 with all their energies bent upon reconstructing their 

 ruined city. She combs on unconcernedly. From top 

 of head to tip of hind legs she goes, smoothing out 

 ruffled hairs and removing atoms of soil invisible to 

 "human eyes. Her toilet is ended at last. A few lei- 

 surely finishing-strokes and she rises, stretches herself, 

 calmly climbs down her pedestal, and is immediately 

 infected with the fervor that lashes on the surging 

 throng around her, and is lost in the crowd. Mean- 



57 



