298 Insect Architecture. 



composed will be seen to have a definite, though not very 

 regular arrangement; and it is a noteworthy circumstance 

 that the longest are preserved for the galleries, being laid 

 across each other in a very ingenious manner, so as to prevent 

 the material from falling and filling up the galleries. This 

 structure was shown very clearly in a huge ant-hill in Bagshot 

 Park. We introduced a sheet of plate glass into the nest, so 

 as to divide it perpendicularly into two halves, and having 

 given the insects six weeks to repair damages, we removed 

 one half of the hill, so that the whole interior of the other half 

 could be seen through the glass. The whole economy of the 

 nest was thus made clear, and the artificial arrangement of 

 the materials showed itself very plainly on the roofs of the 

 cells and galleries.] 



M. P. Huber, in order to observe the operations of the 

 wood-ant with more attention, transferred colonies of them 

 to his artificial formicaries, plunging the feet of the stand into 

 water to prevent their escape till they were reconciled to their 

 abode, and had made some progress in repairing it. 



[Under the glass shade on the top of the formicary may 



