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ANTS. 



By the Rev. C. J. S. Bethu?ie, M.A., Port Hope, Ont. 



No family of insects is more widely distributed and more generally familiar to man- 

 kind than that of the ant, while its habits of industry and activity have been proverbial 

 amongst all nations since the days of Solomon. Some account of its natural history and 

 curious habits cannot fail, we think, to be of interest to the readers of these Reports.* 



1 . — Introductory. 



The insects included under the common name of ant belong to two very different 

 orders, which present strongly marked characteristics both in structure and in habits. Our 

 common ants in this conn try are all members of the same order of insects ( Hymenoptera ) 

 as bees, wasps and saw-flies, and possess many of the familiar peculiarities of the first 

 mentioned. In tropical countries there is another family of ants, known by the name of 

 Termites or white ants, and equally interesting to the lover of natural history ; these 

 belong to the order Neuroptera, which includes dragon-flies, May-flies, caddis-flies and 

 other well-known insects. Of these we shall not at present treat, though as the white 

 ants have become troublesome as far north as Boston, and may possibly be found in 

 Canada, we shall probably give some account of them on a future occasion. 



The insects of the order Hymenoptera are distinguished by the possession in their 

 perfect state of four membranous wings, though occasionally the wings are wanting, as in 

 the case of certain members of the ant community. The mouth is furnished with organs 

 for mastication and suction ; the abdomen in the female is provided with an ovipositor 

 or a sting ; the eyes are generally large and prominent, occupying in some cases the greater 

 portion of the head. The Hymenopterous insects also undergo a " complete metamor- 

 phosis " — that is, they go through four distinct changes, first the egg, secondly the grub or 

 larva, third the quiescent pupa or chrysalis state, and lastly the perfect imago or winged 

 insect. They are remarkable among insects, and indeed amongst all the lower tribes of 

 animals, for the wonderful development amongst many families of social instincts of a high 

 order, living as they do in large communities regulated by definite laws, each member of 

 the society apparently subordinating his individuality to the welfare of the general com- 

 munity, and therefore performing certain definite duties of a public character. 



2. — Structure. 



The common ants to which we are now referring belong to the family Formicidce ; 

 they are distinguished by their habit of residing in more or less numerous societies either 

 under ground or in decayed timber, whence arises the necessity for a greater number of 

 individuals having their sexual organs abortive, so as to be able to devote themselves 

 without interruption to the labours of the community ; for this purpose also they are 

 destitute of wings. The males and females, possessing wings, are naturally much less 

 numerous, being only required for the propagation and continuance of their species. There 

 are thus three grades of inmates in each society, termed respectively, males, females and 

 neuters. 



The males have a small body, with long and slender legs and antennae, and are fur- 

 nished with wings whichthey retain during life. The females are much larger, with shorter 

 and thicker legs and antennas ; they are also furnished with wings, but cast off these 



*■ In the compilation of this paper, free use has been made of the following works : — The article " Ant " 

 in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th edition, vol. ii ; Packard's Guide to the Study of Insects; Kirby and 

 Spence's Entomology ; Westwood's Introduction to the Modern Classification of Insects ; Moggridge's Harvest- 

 ing Ants and Trap-door Spiders ; Miss Mary Treat's Chapters on Ants ; etc., to which the reader is referred 

 who desires fuller information. 



