ANTS AND ANT LIFE. 127 



of a syruplike liquid therein, until it resembles a transparent 

 flask. lu this condition these so-called honey-ants are 

 unable to move, and hang motionless from the roofs of their 

 dwelling. The women and children of the neighborhood 

 dig" up the nests and suck the Basileras. If they are 

 brought to table, the head and thorax are pulled off, and 

 the little honey-filled bladder laid on a plate." 



These honey- ants are fed in a special way by their neuter 

 sisters, and are then milked. They never leave the nest, 

 and are therefore in the full sense of the word, like 

 the Clavigers, " stall-cows." Here also the gluttony of 

 the ants and their excessive fondness for honeylike sweets 

 apparently play the chief part. 



According to Dr. C. Cruger (" Journal of the Union of 

 Naturalists," Hamburg, II. vol., 1876) the whole commu- 

 nity appears to be made up of three kinds of animals, perhaps 

 of different species, one consisting of the feeders and guar- 

 dians of the honey- preparing caste which never leave the 

 nest, and which bring them pollen and petals with nectaries, 

 while a third large and strong kind with very powerful jaws 

 act as soldiers, and have the duty of guarding the home. 

 They place themselves in a double row in front of the nest, 

 patrol in all directions, and only step out of their ranks to 

 kill an approaching enemy or stranger. There are thus 

 carters, merchants, and soldiers. 



