Wood-Ants. 297 



vating or mining the under portion of their edifice that they 

 form their spacious halls low, indeed, and of heavy con- 

 struction, yet sufficiently convenient for the use to which 

 they are appropriated, that of receiving, at certain hours of 

 the day, the larvae and pupae. 



" These halls have a free communication by galleries, made 

 in the same manner. If the materials of which the ant-hill 

 is composed were only interlaced, they would fall into a con- 

 fused heap every time the ants attempted to bring them into 

 regular order. This, however, is obviated by their tempering 

 the earth with rain-water, which, afterwards hardened in the 

 sun, so completely and effectually binds together the several 

 substances, as to permit the removal of certain fragments 

 from the ant-hill without any injury to the rest ; it, moreover, 

 strongly opposes the introduction of the rain. I never found, 

 even after long and violent rains, the interior of the nest 

 wetted to more than a quarter of an inch from the surface, 

 provided it had not been previously out of repair, or deserted 

 by its inhabitants. 



" The ants are extremely well sheltered in their chambers, 

 the largest of which is placed nearly in the centre of the 

 building ; it is much loftier than the rest, and traversed only 

 by the beams that support the ceiling ; it is in this spot that 

 all the galleries terminate, and this forms, for the most part, 

 their usual residence. 



" As to the underground portion, it can only be seen when 

 the ant-hill is placed against a declivity ; all the interior 

 may be then readily brought in view, by simply raising up 

 the straw roof. The subterranean residence consists of a 

 range of apartments, excavated in the earth, taking an hori- 

 zontal direction."* 



[It seems rather surprising that the wood-ants should bo 

 able, with such materials as they employ, to make a dome- 

 shaped structure, which shall be furnished with cells and 

 galleries, and yet shall endure rain and wind, without being 

 penetrated by the one or blown away by the other. If the 

 hill be closely examined, the little sticks of which it is 

 * Huber on Ants, p. 15. 



