92 Miscellaneous. 



several larva?, in a large glass bottle full of earth, placed in his gar- 

 den, Mr. Moggridge was able to trace their labours during four 

 months, and to note down the following observations : — 



The ants at once commenced digging galleries, working with ardour 

 day and night. As the earth at their disposal was little for the 

 number of workers placed in the bottle, instead of making only one 

 entrance as is usually the case, they made a great number, in order 

 that all the members of the colony might be able to pass in and out 

 without obstruction. Afterwards, when the galleries were more 

 advanced, the entrances, which have often the form of small cones 

 (formed by the accumulation of earthy matters proceeding from the 

 piercing of the galleries), were reduced to three, and at last to one 

 only. At the end of the nineteenth day the ants, quite settled, 

 commenced conveying regularly the seeds which Mr. Moggridge had 

 scattered round the new habitation. 



It often happens that the small roots of plants growing at the 

 surface of the ground penetrate into the galleries, thus obstructing 

 the traffic of the ants ; but they take care to cut them as soon as 

 they make their appearance, as our author has observed more than 

 once. 



Do ants know the value of the treatment of diseases by cold 

 water ? One might believe so from the fact, observed by Mr. Mog- 

 gridge, of an ant immersing another in a little pool of water, on the 

 surface of which a bit of grass floated, which served for a bridge ; 

 the ant which had been immersed was afterwards, with difficulty, 

 drawn out of the water, and carried into the sunshine to dry itself. 



Mr. Moggridge also convinced himself that the seeds accumulated 

 in the granaries did really serve for the nourishment of the ants ; 

 for more than once he had occasion to see the insects detach the 

 particles of a grain of millet, moist and divested of its perisperm, 

 and introduce them into their mouths. When seeds of different 

 sorts were placed at their disposal, some could be eaten at once, 

 others had to be moistened previously. Never in any case were 

 these ants attracted by plant-lice which he placed in their vicinity. 



Mr. Moggridge having seen the ants^he kept in captivity working 

 at night, he wished to be certain whether this took place habitually. 

 With this view he visited some ant-hills one very dark and hot 

 night, and found a colony actively conveying seeds taken from a 

 neighbouring garden ; and if he has not been able to observe the 

 habits of Plieidole megacejoTiala, it is precisely because that species 

 works mostly at night. 



The collection of seeds by Atta barbara has been observed at 

 Mentone, Cannes, Marseilles, the Isle of Capri, and Algiers. This 

 species is also found in Germany, Switzerland, and the north of 

 France. What are its habits in the countries of the north ? does it 

 there also make provision for the winter ? This is not very proba- 

 ble after the precise study bestowed on them by Huber. Neverthe- 

 less Mr. Moggridge is very desirous of some naturalist resuming 

 this subject. — Bibliotheque Universelle, Archives des /Sciences Phys. 

 et Nat. tome 1. pp. 49-56. 



