Care of the Young in the Animal Kingdom- 165 



tiny segments of the body, or lest in transportation 

 any part of the soft pupa be too sharply pinched by 

 the hard mandibles of the ants, which in this case serve 

 as hands. 



It requires a great deal of attention and skill on 

 the part of the workers employed in nursing, only to 

 keep neat and clean thousands of eggs, larvae and 

 pupae. In earth-nests the moist, soft skin of these 

 small beings is in continual danger of being soiled by 

 sand or other foreign matter, and, besides, it is excel- 

 lent soil for the growth of injurious fungi. Never- 

 theless, the ants always keep their brood perfectly clean 

 so that even under a magnifying lens not a speck of 

 dust can be discovered. In spite of the damp and 

 mouldy atmosphere, they are able to prevent entirely 

 the growth of fungi both on their brood and through- 

 out the nest. It might perhaps be suggested, that this 

 is, for the most part, to be attributed to the antiseptic 

 effect of the formic acid contained in the poison 

 glands of the ants. But, in reality, the chambers in 

 which the larvae are kept, show an alkaline reaction, 

 as was of late pointed out by Ch. Janet, 1 who explains 

 this phenomenon from the fact, that the secretion of 

 the epidermic, and especially of the salivary glands 

 of ants is of a basic nature. 



The cleaning of the young is only a secondary 

 occupation in the ant-nursery. But even in this sec- 

 ondary office the ants surpass all other animals in 

 care and skill. No cat by licking will wash her kittens 

 with such exactness and affectionate attention, as ants 



') "Reaction alcaline des chambres et galeries des nids de fourmis" 

 ("Extr. des Comptes rendus hebdomadaires de 1'Acad. des Sciences," 

 CXXVII, 1898, 130). 



