CHAPTER IV. 



SOCIAL HOMES. 



Diversity of method of insect architecture, its beauty and size 

 The word architecture as applied to this portion of insect 

 economy Societies of social caterpillars Three types of 

 nests of ants Home of Common Wood Ant external 

 conformation internal plan doors formation and regula- 

 tion of society A solitary " queen " as founder of a colony 

 Singularity of wood-ant in preference for open-air life 

 Mason Ants Extraordinary dimensions of homes of 

 Saiiba or Coushie Ants Their leaf-cutting propensities 

 Mushroom-growers Mason Ants of New World ; their 

 disks, roads, refuse-heaps, store-rooms, nurseries, lum- 

 ber closets, position as farmers, &c. F. fuliginosa and 

 other carpenters Standing-army of Bull's Horn Acacia 

 Ants as guardians of other plants Remarkable pensile 

 nests of Crematogaster, Myrmica Kirbit^ (Ecophylla 

 smaragdtna, &c. 



IN no branch of insect work are more admirable 

 means employed to bring about the desired ends, or 

 is greater diversity of method found, than in that 

 of insect architecture. The beauty of the buildings 

 in many cases is incomparable, and generally 

 speaking the abodes attain a magnitude colossal as 

 compared with that of their creators. It may be 



