288 Insect Architecture. 



slightly arched ; but under these circumstances the ants re- 

 construct them with wonderful patience. 



" These different labours were carried on at the same 

 time, and were so closely followed up in the different 

 quarters, that the ant-hill received an additional story in 

 the course of seven or eight hours. All the vaulted ceilings 

 being formed upon a regular plan, and at equal distances 

 from one wall to the other, constituted, when finished, but 

 one single roof. Scarcely had the ants finished one story 

 than they began to construct another ; but they had not time 

 to finish it the rain ceasing before the ceiling was fully 

 completed. They still, however, continued their work for a 

 few hours, taking advantage of the humidity of the earth ; 

 but a keen north wind soon sprung up, and hastily dried the 

 collected fragments, which, no longer -possessing the same 

 adherence, readily fell into powder. The ants, finding their 

 efforts ineffectual, were at length discouraged, and abandoned 

 their employment ; but what was my astonishment when I 

 saw them destroy all the apartments that were yet uncovered, 

 scattering here and there over the last story the materials of 

 which they had been composed ! These facts incontestably 

 prove that they employ neither gum, nor any kind of cement, 

 to bind together the several substances of their nest ; but 

 in place of this avail themselves of the rain, to work or 

 knead the earth, leaving the sun and wind to dry and con- 

 solidate it."* 



Dr. Johnson of Bristol observed very similar proceedings 

 in the case of a colony of red ants (Myrmica rubra ?), the roof 

 of whose nest was formed by a flat stone. During dry weather, 

 a portion of the side walls fell in; but the rubbish was 

 quickly removed, though no repairs were attempted till a 

 shower of rain enabled them to work. As soon as this 

 occurred, they worked with extraordinary rapidity, and in a 

 short time the whole of the fallen parts were rebuilt, and 

 rendered as smooth as if polished with a trowel. 



When a gardener wishes to water a plot of ground where 

 he has sown seeds that require nice management, he dips a 



* M. P. Huber on Ants, p. 31. 



