382 THE INSECT WORLD. 



The group of Mason Ants contains a great number of varieties : 

 the Ashy-black Ant (Formica nigra, Fig. 363), the Brown, the Yellow 

 (Formica flava), the Blood-red, the Russety (Polyergus rufesctns), the 

 Black, the Miner (Formica cunicularia\ the Turf Ant, &c. All these 

 species employ a mortar, more or less fine, in raising their hillocks, at 



Fig 3^3 Ashy-black Ant (Formica nigra). Male, female, and worker. 



the same time that they hollow out their underground dwellings. The 

 Jet Ant ( Formica fuliginosa) excavates wood, hollowing out its laby- 

 rinth in the trunk of a tree with consummate skill. The Red Ant 

 (Myrmica rubra) plies, according to circumstances, the trade of a 

 mason or excavator. 



The masons work when they can profit by the rain or by the 



3 64.-Ashy Ant. Male, worker, and female. 



evening dew, to make their mortar. They only go out after sunset, 

 or when a fine rain has wetted their roof. Then they set to work. 

 They roll up pellets of earth, bring them back in their mandibles, and 

 stick them on to those places where the building was left unfinished. 

 From all sides the earth-workers may be seen arriving, laden with 

 materials. All these are bustling, hurrying, busy, but always in the 

 greatest order, and with a perfect understanding among themselves. 

 Every part of the building is going on at the same time. The apart- 

 ments spring up one above another, and the edifice visibly rises. The 

 rain, the sun, and the wind consolidate and harden the building so 



