180 ZOOLOGY. 



others in wood. The first dig in the soil a number of gal- 

 leries, disposed in floors. The debris rejected forms a hillock, 

 in which the indefatigable ants construct other dwellings, also 

 in floors or stages ; but sometimes, with the earth thus thrown 

 out, they construct galleries along branches of trees. The 

 ants which establish their dwellings in trees, attach them- 

 selves to one going to decay, and already attacked by other 

 insects. With their mandibles they vigorously assail the 

 timber, forming it into galleries and dwellings, and support- 

 ing these galleries with columns wherever they may be re- 

 quired. Should any accident happen by the falling of these 

 beams, the working ants hasten to repair the damage, to 

 drag their comrades from under the ruins, and to place them 

 in a secure quarter. The males and females take no part in 

 these labours. The first remain but a short time in the hil- 

 lock, and perish shortly after leaving. The females, which 

 have left with the males, after losing their wings, are brought 

 back to the ant-hillock by the working ants, placed in retired 

 cells, where they remain prisoners, being all the time carefully 

 fed and attended to by the labourers. So soon as they have 

 laid an egg, it is laid hold of, and removed to a separate 

 apartment or cell, each to its own ; the egg which is to give 

 origin to a female to its own cell, and that which in time will 

 produce a labourer, to its particular dwelling-place. The 

 larvse are attended and fed with the greatest care with their 

 appropriate food, and carried out in fine weather to bask in 

 the sun. Whilst so exposed they are defended from their 

 enemies, and carried back in the evening to their cells, which 

 are kept in the very best order. Ants lay in no stock of pro- 

 visions, but seek day by day what they require. Whilst some 

 are occupied with the care of the buildings, others proceed in 

 quest of food. They attack the puceronS (grubs), which on 

 being pressed by the feet of the ant, give out a drop of sweet 

 liquid, which the ant carries off. But some are not content 

 with this, but carry with them the insects (pucerons, or grubs) 

 to the hillock, and retain them there, as farmers do milch- 

 cows. Two neighbouring or rival hillocks have been seen to 

 fight for the possession of these pucerons, and the conquerors 

 have been seen to carry off their prisoners with the same care 

 that they bestow on their own larvse. Finally, that which is 

 most singular in the history of the ant, is still to be told. 

 These industrious labourers seem occasionally to get tired of 

 their labours, as if they wished to enjoy a little repose. In 



