in.] COMMUNITIES OF ANTS. WAES. 93 



the 5th August. The eggs appeared less numerous, 

 some having probably been devoured. 



This experiment shows that the queens of Myrmica 

 ruginodis have the instinct of bringing up larvae, and 

 the power of founding communities. 



The workers remained about six weeks in the egg, 

 a month in the state of larva, and 25 27 days as 

 pupae. 



A nest of ants must not be confused with an ant 

 hill in the ordinary sense. Very often indeed a nest 

 has only one dwelling, and in most species seldom more 

 than three or four. Some communities, however, form 

 numerous colonies. M. Forel even found a case in which 

 one nest of F. . exsecta had no less than two hundred 

 colonies, and occupied a circular space with a radius 

 of nearly two hundred yards. Within this area they 

 had exterminated all the other ants, except a few nests 

 of Tapinoma erraticum, which survived, thanks to 

 the great agility of this species. In these cases, the 

 number of ants thus associated together must have 

 been enormous. Even in single nests, Forel estimates 

 the numbers at from five thousand to half a million. 



In their modes of fighting, different species of ants 

 have their several peculiarities. Some also are much 

 less military than others. Myrmecina Latreillii, for 

 instance, never attack, and scarcely even defend them- 

 selves. Their skin is very hard, and they roll them- 

 selves into a ball, not defending themselves, even if 

 their nest be invaded ; to prevent which, however, they 

 make the entrances small, and often station at each a 

 worker, who uses her head to stop the way. Their smell 

 is also, perhaps, a protection. Tctramoriuin ccespitum 



