LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 31 



separate rooms of different sizes, communicating 

 with each other by passages or entries, and often 

 many stories in height. In making these, the 

 ants scrape the earth from the bottom of their 

 nests, and so fasten the particles together, by 

 pressing against them with their feet, as to form 

 solid walls. They prefer working when the earth 

 is moist, so that it can be readily moulded, arid 

 will easily adhere ; and often take advantage of 

 a light shower to carry on their building, which 

 is afterward dried and hardened by the heat of 

 the sun. 



A celebrated naturalist, named Huber, gives 

 an interesting account of the proceedings of a 

 family of little brown ants adding a new story 

 to their dwelling. 



A light shower was falling, when he saw a 

 number of these little creatures come up out of 

 their nest and look around them. They imme- 

 diately descended, and each bringing a little 

 lump of earth in its mouth, they commenced 

 their operations. He sat quietly by them for 

 several hours, and saw them raise regular co- 

 lumns and walls at different distances from each 

 other, forming large and small rooms, and wide 



