SLAVE-MAKING ANTS. 27 



and reach down to obtain a share. These 

 are the nurses that feed the larvae. Their 

 honey-sacs soon round out almost to burst- 

 ing, and now they go thus heavily laden to 



HONEY-SAC AND STOMACH OF RFJ> ANT. 



the nest. I notice at the entrance through 

 which they pass a number of red soldiers 

 stationed like a guard, with tbeir heads 

 thrust out, acting as if they would like to 

 stop this line of honey-bearers ; they touch 

 them with their antenna?, and sometimes one 

 puts his forefeet against the shoulders of 

 a nurse, but uses no real violence to detain 

 her. Most of the nurses pass in regardless 

 of these demonstrations, but occasionally one 

 stops and puts her mouth to the soldier's, 

 and feeds him in the same way she does a 

 larva. These may be young soldiers which 

 the nurses are about weaning, but they are 

 so old that I can see no diiference in their 

 looks or general behavior from the rest. 



