266 INSECT ARCHITECTURE. 



there over the last story the materials of which they 

 had heen composed! These facts incontestably 

 prove that they employ neither gum, nor any kind 

 of cement, to bind together the several substances 

 of their nest; but in place of this avail themselves 

 of the rain, to work or knead the earthy leaving the 

 sun and wind to dry and consolidate it."* 



Dr. Johnson of Bristol observed very similar pro- 

 ceedings in the case of a colony of red ants (Myr- 

 mica rubra ?), the roof of whose nest was formed 

 by a flat stone. During dry weather, a portion oi 

 the side walls fell in ; but the rubbish was quickly 

 removed, though no repairs were attempted till a 

 shower of rain enabled them to work. As soon as 

 this occurred, they worked with extraordinary rapi- 

 dity, and in a short time the whole of the fallen parts 

 were rebuilt, and rendered as smooth as if polished 

 with a trowel. 



When a gardener wishes to water a plot oi ground 

 where he has sown seeds that require nice manage- 

 ment, he dips a strong brush into water, and passes 

 his hand backwards and forwards over the hairs for 

 the purpose of producing a fine artificial shower. 

 Huber successfully adopted the same method to excite 

 his ants to recommence their labours, which had been 

 interrupted for want of moisture. But sometimes, 

 when they deem it unadvisable to wait for ram, they 

 dig down (as we remarked to be the practice of the 

 mason-bees) till they arrive at earth sufficiently moist 

 for their purpose. They do not, however, like these 

 bees, merely dig for materials ; for they use the exca- 

 vations for apartments, as well as what they construct 

 with the materials thence derived. They appear, in 

 short, to be no less skilful in mining than in building. 



Such is the general outline of the operations of 



M, P, Huber on Ants, p. 31. 



