CHAPTER XVIII 



THE MIND OF A GARDENING ANT 



A COLONY of gardening ants was recently established 

 for some time in the insect house at the Zoo. They 

 came from Trinidad, originally in two colonies, but the 

 queen of one died. The two communities were then per- 

 suaded to join, and fed up their queen to the dimensions 

 of a house spider. The rest of the society consisted of 

 small yellow working ants, and big policemen ants 

 with large heads. The latter keep the others to their 

 work, and act as foremen. If a ray of sunshine comes 

 in on a cold day, and a dozen workers stop and " loaf" 

 in the warmth, the foremen soon run up and send 

 them about their business, if necessary carrying them 

 some part of the way in their mouths. 



The work in which these creatures were mainly 

 occupied was cutting out circular discs of rose-leaf, 

 about the size of the top of a pencil, and carrying 

 them across a long bridge to the nest, to make their 

 garden. As they carry these upright, or sloping over 

 their heads, they have been called " parasol ants." 

 But as they do this when there is no sun at all, it 

 is clear that it is convenience, not shelter from sun, 

 which suggests the position. Arrived at the nest, they 

 go through the whole of the astonishing agricultural 



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