ANT. 46l 



The amazons are not the only ants that carry on this species of 

 slave-trade ; the sanguine ants (fourmis sanguines) having of- 

 fered analogous facts with those above related. The author even 

 discovered nests in which the sanguine ants are attended by both 

 the above-mentioned species of auxiliaries ; thus forming a triple 

 association of races of ants, having very different manners and ha- 

 bits, but concurring in the same objects of necessary industry. 

 For the particular circumstances of these discoveries, we must refer 

 our readers to the work itself, which will amply repay the curio- 

 sity of those who peruse it. 



The facts disclosed in this volume of researches are too extraor- 

 dinary not to render us, at first sight, suspicious of the evidence 

 on which they are advanced ; and will naturally raise a doubt whe- 

 ther the narrative has not received too much embellishment from 

 the colouring of a warm imagination. Upon a more strict exami- 

 nation, however, we do not think there exists any reasonable 

 ground for such suspicions : the facts are stated with sufficient 

 distinctness to justify our placing full confidence in their accuracy, 

 independently of the known character of the author, who 

 relates them. He every where states what he has himself seen, 

 and what others might verify by following the same methods of 

 observation. Although many naturalists have already studied the 

 history of ants, yet much discordance and obscurity has prevailed 

 with regard to many essential points in their economy ; a circum- 

 stance that has arisen from their never having been able to see 

 what was going on in the interior of the nests, which is the scene of 

 the most important and interesting features of their history. To 

 M. Huber belongs the merit of inventing an apparatus, and method 

 of observation, which bring within view all the operations which 

 these insects had hitherto conducted in secret. The difficulties he 

 had to contend with, in contriving a glass case which would admit 

 the light into their apartments, without alarming or disturbing 

 them in their employments, were at first great, but by persever- 

 ance were at length overcome. Even methods which succeeded 

 for a time were frequently defeated by the sagacity of these in- 

 sects, who are extremely jealous of intruders, exquisitely sensible 

 to all variations of temperature, and always alarmed at the pre- 

 sence of light in their subterraneous abodes. At last, by placing 



