THE WHITE ANTS, 



457 



together in small irregular masses. Of these 

 masses, some are finer than others, and resemble 

 the sugar about preserved fruits ; others resemble 

 the tears of gum, one being quite transparent, ano- 

 ther like amber, a third brown, and a fourth per- 

 fectly opaque. 



The magazines are always intermixed with the 

 nurseries, buildings totally different from the rest of 

 the apartments. These are composed entirely of 

 wooden materials, which seem to be cemented with 

 gums. They are invariably occupied by the eggs, 

 and the young which first appear in the shape of la- 

 bourers. These buildings are exceedingly compact, 

 and are divided into a number of small irregular- 

 shaped chambers, not one of which is half an inch 

 wide. They are placed all round, and as near as 

 possible to the royal apartments. 



When a nest is in an infant state, the nurseries 

 are close to the royal apartment. But, as in pro- 

 cess of time the body of the queen enlarges, it be- 

 comes necessary, for her accommodation, to aug- 

 ment the dimensions of her chamber. She then, 

 likewise, lays a greater number ot eggs, and requires 

 more attendants : of course, it is necessary that both 

 the number and dimensions of the adjacent apart- 

 ments should be augmented. For this purpose, the 

 small first built nurseries are taken to pieces, rebuilt 

 a little farther off, and made a size larger, and their 

 number, at the same time, is increased. Thus the 

 animals are continually employed in pulling down, 

 impairing, or rebuilding their apartments ; and these 



