92 THE INDUSTRIES OE ANIMALS. 



them as long as they can find them, while they gather 

 up in their storehouses an entirely different food. 



Physiological reserves. — All the animals of which I 

 have just spoken place their provisions for the future 

 in barns in the same manner as Man. Those who 

 have not this foresight are either able to nourish 

 themselves in all seasons by the chase, or else, after 

 having feasted one half of the year, they fast during 

 the other half. In the latter case they consume 

 during the fasting period a portion of their own sub- 

 stance, and use up materials placed in reserve in their 

 organism, in the form of fat for example. This 

 arrangement, which allows them to prolong life, 

 though growing thin, until the next season of pros- 

 perity, is not under the control of the will. It is 

 a complication of physiological phenomena result- 

 ing from the functioning of different parts of the 

 organism. 



Stages between physiological reserves and provisions. 

 —Between physiological reserves and industrial stores 

 we may place as an intermediate stage the interesting 

 case of the Honey Ants.^ 



These insects (^Myniiccocy sins') live in Texas, and 

 form colonies in which certain individuals play a very 

 special part. They exaggerate to an extreme point 

 the power of preserving provisions in their crops. 

 These materials are not assimilated ; they do not 

 form part of the animal's body, and although placed 

 inside it cannot be compared to physiological 

 reserves. It is especially curious that they are not to 

 be utilised only by the animal itself, but also by the 

 other members of the colony who are not able to form 



^ H. C. McCooIi, The Honey Ants of the Garden of the Gods, and the 

 Ants of the American Plains, Philadelphia, 18S2. 



