326 LEISURE-TIME STUDIES. 



be totally unroofed ; try to conceive of the sudden downfall 

 of houses and buildings, and the consequent panic of the 

 inhabitants, and you may obtain an idea of the disturbance 

 our simple procedure effected in the peaceable, well-ordered 

 colony of ants which had located themselves securely 

 beneath the friendly shelter of the stone. The scene pre- 

 sented to view was one of the most curious and interesting 

 which could engage the attention of an observer in any field 

 of inquiry, and the occurrence certainly banished the idle 

 mood of the time, and lent a zest to the subsequent hours of 

 our holiday. Running hither and thither in wild confusion 

 were the denizens of this underground colony; their six 

 little legs carrying their curious globular bodies backwards 

 and forwards over the disturbed area from which the stone 

 had been removed. At first the movements of the ants 

 were extremely erratic and purposeless. Panic and alarm 

 appeared to be the order of the day during the few minutes 

 which elapsed after the removal of the stone. But soon the 

 eye could discern movements of purposive kind on the part 

 of the alarmed residents. There was " racing and chasing " 

 in all directions; but the ants which had at first radiated 

 from the centre of disturbance, as if on some definite quest, 

 soon returned thereto, and continued to advance and retire 

 from the field of action with tolerable regularity. Not less 

 than sixty or seventy ants appeared to be engaged in this 

 labour of scouring the country around. The object of their 

 repeated journeys in all directions was soon discovered. 

 They were the self-appointed scouts, engaged in the work of 

 reconnoitring. Such at least is a fair interpretation of the 

 acts of the ants, and such also is the conclusion, borne out 

 by the subsequent course of events. For, after the scouts 

 had spent a considerable time in their rapid journeys to the 

 environments of the nest, a new set of ants appeared upon 

 the scene, destined to perform a highly important series of 

 labours. 



The scouts continued their journeyings, and gave one 

 the idea of a set of fussy individuals who were superintend- 



