2990 



figure appears in the accompanying illustration. In the same illustration is also 

 shown the brazen-tailed wasp (Elampus ceneus}, of which the female deposits her 

 eggs in the grub of a small species of the Sphegidce. 







BURNISHED AND GOI.D WASPS. 



i. Golden burnished wasp; 2. Burnished blue wasp; 3. Common golden wasp; 4. Royal gold wasp, female^- 



5. Brazen-tailed wasp. 



THE ANTS Family FORMICID^ 



The ants bring us to the section Aculeata, the members of which differ from 

 the preceding section in that the females are furnished with a retractile sting in 

 place of an ovipositor. As a family, ants are characterized by having the first 

 segment of the abdomen and sometimes also the second reduced in size to form a 

 stalk for the rest of the abdomen. The workers, moreover, are without wings. 

 On account of their remarkable habits and intelligence, these insects demand a 

 fuller notice than is accorded to other groups. As regards their visual powers, 

 ants are very sensitive. While disliking any strong light suddenly thrown into 

 their nests, they prefer rays transmitted through a red medium, but object more 

 to those coming through green and yellow, while those through a violet medium 

 they abhor. Though sight is well developed, hearing seems much less so; vibra- 

 tions of the air produced by tuning forks, violin strings, or whistling, being little 

 heeded. Neither has any sound emitted by the ants themselves been detected, 

 even with the most sensitive instruments. The sense of smell is evidently keen, 

 for brushes dipped in scent arouse distinct curiosity. When the scent left in its 

 tract by an ant is obliterated, the ants next following are baffled, like hounds at 

 fault, until, after a little casting about, they pick it up on the other side. In 

 seeking for an object of whose existence and position they are aware, ants make 

 use of both sight and smell; but it is in the latter that they place most confidence, 

 for if the object be removed only the space of an inch from its position, the ant in 

 search of it will make a number of cross journeys over the old resting place before 

 it is successful. The scent, too, seems to be rather that left by former footsteps 

 than proceeding from the object itself. This sense of smell, and perhaps touch 

 combined, is obviously manifested in the caressing or recognition of friends with 

 the delicate antennae. The mysterious sense of direction is, after all, but sensitive- 

 ness to the direction in which the rays of light fall from a luminous object, and, 

 as such, is but a form of sight. This is proved as follows: Ants made to cross 



