52 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



point out its affinities and relationship to 

 other groups, and give it a name and place 

 in our fauna. So I cut the earth away with 

 a trowel until I came to a hollow root, 

 nearly circular, about an inch in diameter. 

 There was nothing left but the outside shell 

 or bark ; the earth surrounding it was clay, 

 and quite hard, so I abandoned the task. 

 In a few days afterward Mr. Turner took 

 up the work of excavation, and followed the 

 hollow root in a diagonal direction beneath 

 the surface of the ground toward the trunk 

 of the tree. He cut off sections of it, throw- 

 ing out ants as he progressed which were 

 continually coming to the front to see what 

 new danger was threatening their home 

 until he was brought to a stand by coming 

 in 'contact with the oak, under or among 

 the roots of which the nest must be situated, 

 for the hollow root was simply a passage 

 leading to it; but he could not proceed far- 

 ther without injury to the tree ; so the earth 

 was thrown back and pressed down, and 

 the passage to the nest ruined. I now kept 

 watch to see where the ants would next 

 make their exit. I soon found they had a 

 secret passage on the opposite side of the 

 tree in a bed of moss which perfectly con- 

 cealed the opening. 



