WOOD-ANTS. 275 



halls, low indeed, and of heavy construction, yet suf- 

 ficiently convenient for the use to which they are 

 appropriated, that of receiving, at certain hours of the 

 day, the larvue and pupae. 



"These halls have a free communication by gal- 

 leries made in the same manner. If the materials 

 of which the ant hill is composed were only interlaced, 

 they would fall into a confused heap every time the 

 ants attempted to bring them into regular order. 

 This, however, is obviated by their tempering the 

 earth with rain-water, which, afterwards hardened in 

 the sun, so completely and effectually binds together 

 the several substances as to permit the removal of 

 certain fragments from the ant-hill without any in- 

 jury to the rest ; it, moreover, strongly opposes the 

 introduction of the rain. I never found, even after 

 long and violent rains, the interior of the nest wetted 

 to more than a quarter of an inch from the surface, 

 provided it had not been previously out of repair, 

 or deserted by its inhabitants. 



" The ants are extremely well sheltered in their 

 chambers, the largest of which is placed nearly in 

 the centre of the building ; it is much loftier than 

 the rest, and traversed only by the beams that sup- 

 port the ceiling ; it is in this spot that all the gal- 

 leries terminate, and this forms, for the most part, 

 their usual residence. 



" As to the underground portion, it can only be 

 seen when the ant-hill is placed against a declivity ; 

 all the interior may be then readily brought in view, 

 by simply raising up the straw-roof. The subter- 

 ranean residence consists of a range of apartments, 

 excavated in the earth, taking an horizontal direc- 

 tion."* 



M. P. Huber, in order to observe the operations of 



* Huber on Ants, p, 15. 



