ANTS 13 



retire deeper into the soil, out of reach of the frost, and there, 

 collected in little masses, remain quiescent until the return of 

 warm weather. The writer has found such clusters of the common 

 garden ant (Lasius niger) more than three feet below the surface 

 in midwinter. 



Ant communities can very easily be kept under observation 

 in captivity. The simplest cage for this purpose consists of 

 two sheets of ordinary window glass, about eight or ten inches 

 square, laid one on top of the other but kept apart by narrow 

 slips of the same, or thinner glass placed between them all round 

 the edges. One of these slips should be a little shorter than the 

 rest, so as to leave a small space, about half an inch, through 

 which food and moisture can be inserted. The interval be- 

 tween the two main sheets should be just sufficient to allow the 

 ants room to move freely ; if it is deeper, earth will be piled over 

 the chambers and galleries and will hide the ants from view. 

 The included space must now be filled with very finely sifted 

 earth, which should then be moistened. The top plate of glass 

 should be securely fastened to the lower by spring paper-clips. 

 A nest, of ants may now be dug up, care being taken to secure 

 a " queen/ ' who may be recognised by her much larger size and 

 distended abdomen. The ants and any earth gathered with 

 them may then be put into a large biscuit tin, at the bottom of 

 which the glass cage already prepared should be placed. As 

 the loose earth dries up the ants will migrate into the cage, 

 and as soon as they are all housed the space at one corner must 

 be plugged with cotton wool to prevent their escape. The cage 

 may then be removed from the tin and kept wherever convenient. 

 It is, however, necessary to cover it with some dark opaque 

 material to exclude the light, and not to allow the sun to shine 

 directly upon it in any case. A wooden frame placed round the 

 whole adds neatness, but is not necessary. In a short time the 

 ants set to work excavating their passages and chambers, and 

 in a few days all will be going on as it does out of doors. From 

 time to time it is necessary to remove the plug of cotton wool 

 and push in some sugar or honey to supply their needs, and 

 care must be taken to keep up a moderate degree of mois- 

 ture by pouring in water at the same spot. Such captive nests 



