IN THE OPEN [ 



order without coercion. There is such harmony, 

 such co-operation among them, they have evolved 

 no ruling class, the queens being such only in name 

 and more properly the mother ants. The life of the 

 community is all, and every one looks out for it. 



On warm afternoons early in September you 

 may look for the swarming of the queens, when 

 myriads of ants sail into the air in their desultory 

 marriage flight. In apparently endless succession 

 they pass, every now and then one alighting, 

 whereupon begins the curious part of the perform- 

 ance, for they run rapidly about, throwing them- 

 selves upon their backs to squirm from side to 

 side after the manner of a dog scratching. They 

 then get upon all sixes and continue running to 

 and fro. After these contortions the wings wear 

 a most disheveled appearance, and, as the process 

 continues, become more and more crumpled, until 

 at length one or more are missing. 



Sometimes in sheer desperation an ant will lie 

 on her back and revolve rapidly in this position. 

 In some cases the wings seem to resist all attempts 

 to remove them and the ants redouble their efforts. 

 Their frenzy appears to know no bounds; they 

 fairly stand on their heads and repeatedly fall over 



