﻿74 
  PROCEEDINGS 
  OP 
  THE 
  CALIFORNIA 
  

  

  The 
  fact 
  that 
  the 
  remainder 
  of 
  the 
  inhabitants 
  feed 
  on 
  the 
  supply 
  thus 
  obtained, 
  

   though 
  it 
  is 
  surmised, 
  has 
  not 
  been 
  established 
  by 
  actual 
  observation 
  : 
  indeed, 
  

   with 
  reference 
  to 
  many 
  of 
  tlic 
  habits 
  of 
  these 
  creatures, 
  we 
  are 
  at 
  present 
  left 
  in 
  

   total 
  ignorance, 
  it 
  being 
  a 
  reasonable 
  supposition 
  that, 
  in 
  insects 
  so 
  remarkable 
  

   in 
  many 
  of 
  their 
  habits, 
  other 
  interesting 
  facts 
  have 
  yet 
  to 
  be 
  brought 
  to 
  light 
  

   respecting 
  them. 
  It 
  would 
  be 
  of 
  great 
  value 
  to 
  learn 
  the 
  specific 
  rank 
  of 
  the 
  

   black 
  workers 
  (No. 
  3), 
  and 
  to 
  know 
  the 
  sexes 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  forming 
  the 
  com- 
  

   munity, 
  their 
  season 
  and 
  manner 
  of 
  pairing, 
  and 
  whether 
  the 
  honey-makers 
  are 
  

   themselves 
  used 
  as 
  food, 
  or 
  if 
  they 
  excrete 
  their 
  saccharine 
  fluid 
  for 
  the 
  benefit 
  

  

  DIAGRAM 
  OF 
  THE 
  EXTERIOR 
  OF 
  THE 
  NEST 
  OF 
  MYRMECOCYSTUS 
  MEXICANUS. 
  

  

  W 
  (C) 
  

  

  o 
  

  

  id) 
  

  

  0(&) 
  

  

  / 
  (a) 
  Path 
  of 
  the 
  flower 
  gatherers. 
  

  

  . 
  y 
  (6) 
  S. 
  E. 
  eutrauce 
  to 
  nest. 
  

  

  ff 
  I 
  y 
  (c) 
  Mound 
  of 
  flowers 
  and 
  leaves. 
  •' 
  ^ 
  

  

  {d) 
  W. 
  entrance 
  to 
  nest, 
  

   (e) 
  Path 
  of 
  yellow 
  nvirsing 
  ants. 
  

   ifg) 
  Track 
  of 
  soldiers. 
  

  

  