136 



Aquatic JLitt 



Dr. Coltorti, Messrs. Stief, Ludolff and 

 Springer. 



The auction was exceptionally success- 

 ful and added considerably to the treas- 

 ury. The society contemplates holding 

 an exhibition during the latter part of 

 September in the Newark Public Library 

 Building to last a week. It will be open 

 to sister societies and prizes will be 

 offered in all classes. As "Newark 

 knows how," the awards will be well 

 worth while. — Max G. HammERSCH^ag, 

 President. 



Ants Eggs Not Ants Eggs 



For a long time the pupa? of ants have 

 been a favorite food for certain cage 

 birds, and to a degree for aquarium 

 fishes. The material may be crushed and 

 fed to the fishes dry or mixed with other 

 ingredients of a prepared food. In the 

 vernacular of the aquarist and bird fan- 

 cier these objects are erroneously called 

 ants' eggs. Before giving a brief out- 

 line of the life-cycle of an ant, and to 

 understand it clearly, it may be men- 

 tioned that a typical insect passes 

 through four distinct phases in its de- 

 velopment from the egg to the nature 

 form. The life-cycle begins with the 

 egg f and then follows the larval stage 

 (maggot, caterpillar, grub, etc., as vari- 

 ously applied to different classes). When 

 the larva has reached full development 

 it becomes quiescent, in some species 

 forming a cocoon, during which period 

 it transforms to the mature insect. Not 

 all insects pass through the complete 

 metamorphosis, and some, the dragon- 

 fly, for example, remain active during 

 the pupal state. 



There are numerous species of ants, 

 each of which has some peculiar habit, 

 but all are social insects and live in well- 

 regulated communities or nests. Each 

 nest contains one or more queens, nu- 

 merous workers or undeveloped females, 



who never have wings, and occasionally 

 males. 



The queen lays the eggs, and the work- 

 ers tend them and care for the grubs 

 or larvae as they hatch. These grubs 

 are kept in groups or nurseries assorted 

 according to age. Other groups will be 

 found composed of cocoons, and these 

 are the miscalled "ants' eggs." From 

 these cocoons, with the assistance of the 

 workers, the perfect ants will emerge. 

 The time taken by the grub before turn- 

 ing into the pupa or cocoon varies ac- 

 cording to the species. 



In summer great numbers of winged 

 males and females are hatched. These 

 swarm out of the nest and take a short 

 nuptial flight. The fertilized females 

 become queens and strip off their wings. 

 They either return to the nest or start a 

 new colony. The males soon die. 



The proposed public aquaria for Bal- 

 timore and St. Louis are still hanging 

 fire. Chicago is forging ahead with its 

 plans, and will be satisfied with nothing 

 short of "the be:;t in the world." A 

 quarter-million is in sight for the build- 

 ing and equipment, while the mainte- 

 nance has been assured. 



San Francisco has been saying little, 

 but doing much. A public-spirited citi- 

 zen has donated sufficient money for the 

 building, which will be located in Golden 

 Gate Park. A bill providing for the 

 maintenance of the acquarium was ap- 

 proved at the last municipal election. 

 Frisco has stolen a march. 



Some aquarists ride all through the 

 journey of life with their backs to the 

 horses' heads. They are always looking 

 into the past. They are forever talking 

 about the good old times, and how much 

 better the goldfish were years ago. There 

 are no great goldfish now, and no real 

 breeders. The very winters and sum- 

 mers are nothing to what they used to 

 be. Do vou know this man? 



