174 THE MOST GIFTED INSECT RACE. 



wings will mostly be found adhering to the bones, the 

 ants not having been strong enough to pull them out of 

 their sockets. 



Sweet juices of all kinds are much admired by all ants. 

 It is scarcely possible to guard jam and other preserves 

 where the House Ants have gained admission into the 

 store -closet. As to sugar or honey, they will empty the 

 jars in a marvellously short time. 



In the hotter parts of the earth, where ant-life attains 

 its fullest development, it is scarcely possible to keep 

 provisions of any kind. The only protection that is of 

 the slightest efficacy is, to place the vessel on a table, and 

 immerse each leg of the table in a basin of water. Even 

 then care must be taken that the water be kept perfectly 

 clean, as if any small floating objects should fall into it, 

 the ants will use them as rafts ; and if dust be allowed 

 to accumulate on the surface the insects will crawl over 

 it. They will even scale walls, creep along the ceiling 

 until they are over the table, and then allow themselves 

 to drop upon it. 



Many species go on foraging expeditions, which are 

 managed with as much order and discipline as a body of 

 foragers in a modern army. The most redoubtable of 

 these foragers are called Driver Ants, and there are 

 several species of them, each having its own way of 

 foraging. Those which are best known belong to the 

 genus Eciton, and inhabit tropical America. In these 

 creatures the division of labour is remarkably carried 

 out, the workers being broadly divided into labourers 



