154 THE MOST GIFTED INSECT RACE. 



habits, and could not eat corn. Neither are these objects 

 eggs, and indeed, a moment's thought would show that 

 the ant could not be the parent of an egg larger than 

 itself. Very few persons have ever seen an ant's egg, or 

 would recognise it if they did. 



The eggs are exceedingly minute, of a very pale yellow, 

 and kept carefully out of danger. When they are 

 hatched they produce tiny grubs, very much like those 

 of the bee or wasp, and quite as helpless. These little 

 grubs are watched and fed by the worker ants, being 

 quite incapable of procuring food for themselves. When 

 these grubs are full fed they envelop themselves in a 

 cocoon, which they spin just as does the caterpillar of the 

 silkworm. These cocoons are the so-called " ants' eggs," 

 and, if they be examined with a magnifying-glass, the 

 silken threads of which they are composed can be easily 

 traced. In fact, they look just like the cocoons of the silk- 

 worm after the loose silk has been wound off (page 157). 



They can be cut open with a pair of fine scissors, and 

 then, according to the time of year, there will be found 

 within them either the footless grub, the pupa, or the 

 perfect insect. It will be noticed that the cocoons are of 

 three sizes. The largest are those of the wing-bearing 

 females, the next largest those of the wing-bearing males, 

 and the smallest those of the wingless workers. 



The chief object of the ceaseless labour for which the 

 ant is proverbial, is the nurture of the helpless grub and 

 the care of the equally helpless pupa. 



Scattered about the nest may be seen the perfect 



