CHAP. X. THE QUEEN ANT. 315 



of the formicary, than they are attended and fed by the 

 neuters with the most sedulous care. By degrees,, these 

 females hecome reconciled to their fate, and lose all 

 desire to quit the common city, their abdomen enlarges, 

 and they are no longer looked upon as prisoners. Each 

 is attended by a single ant, who appears her body-guard 

 and especial attendant upon every occasion. He oc- 

 cupies a very curious station, being mounted upon the 

 abdomen of the female, with his posterior legs touch- 

 ing the ground. The more especial duty of this sen- 

 tinel, who is frequently relieved, seems to be that of 

 watching the moment when the female begins the im- 

 portant event of laying her eggs, and thus to be ready 

 to carry them off. Oviposition continues through the 

 greatest part of the year, during which time it is com- 

 puted that the female lays between four thousand and 

 five thousand. 



(320.) The conduct of the labourers to'the impreg- 

 nated female is very similar to that which the bees ren- 

 der to their queen : they pay her the greatest homage, 

 press round her person, offer her food, and conduct her 

 by her mandibles through the difficult or steep intrica- 

 cies of the common dwelling. Sometimes, indeed, they 

 carry her about, without any exertion of her own : this 

 is effected by suspending her upon their jaws, the ends 

 of which are crossed ; the queen coils herself up, and 

 thus packs herself so close as to give very little trouble 

 to her carrier. When he sets her down, others of her 

 subjects surround and caress her, one after the other, 

 tapping her on the head with their antennae. " In 

 whatever apartment," says Gould, " a queen conde- 

 scends to be present, she commands obedience and re- 

 spect ; a universal gladness spreads itself through the 

 whole cell, which is expressed by particular acts of joy 

 and exultation.' 1 They have a particular way of skip- 

 ping, leaping, and standing upon their hind legs, and 

 prancing with the others : these frolics they make use 

 of, both to congratulate each other when they meet, 

 and to show their regard for the queen. Some of them 



