MASON-ANTS. 263 



the most trifling movements of my masons, and 

 found they did not work after the manner of wasps 

 and humhle-hees, when occupied in constructing a 

 covering to their nest. The latter sit, as it were, 

 astride on the border or margin of the covering, and 

 take it between their teeth to model and attenuate it 

 according to their wish. The wax of which it is 

 composed, and the paper which the wasp employs, 

 moistened by some kind of glue, are admirably 

 adapted for this purpose, but the earth of which the 

 ants make use, from its often possessing little tena- 

 city, must be worked up after some other manner. 



" Each ant, then, carried between its teeth the 

 pellet of earth it had formed by scraping with the end 

 of its mandibles the bottom of its abode, a circum- 

 stance which I have frequently witnessed in open day. 

 This little mass of earth, being composed of particles 

 but just united, could be readily kneaded and moulded 

 as the ants wished ; thus, when they had applied it 

 to the spot where they had to rest, they divided and 

 pressed against it with their teeth, so as to fill up the 

 little inequalities of their wall. The antennae followed 

 all their movements, passing over each particle of 

 earth as soon as it was placed in its proper position. 

 The whole was then rendered more compact, by 

 pressing it lightly with the fore-feet. This work 

 went on remarkably fast. After having traced out 

 the plan of their masonry, in laying here and there 

 foundations for the pillars and partitions they were 

 about to erect, they raised them gradually higher, by 

 adding fresh materials. It often happened that two 

 little walls, which were to form a gallery, were raised 

 opposite, and at a slight distance from each other. 

 When they had attained the height of four or five 

 lines, the ants busied themselves in covering-in the 

 space left between them by a vaulted ceiling. 



"As if they judged all their partitions of sufficient 



