FORMICIM. 
225 
division of labour ; the nest commonly consists of males and females, with 
various forms of workers ; the degree to which this specialisation goes, 
varies very much with the species. Commonly there are two or three 
forms of workers, the soldier with large head and mandibles, the worker; 
major and minor, with more normal structure. A nest may consist of a 
greater or smaller aggregation of individuals and there are a few species 
which share the light-shunning habits of Termites, most nesting in soil, 
trees, etc., but working in the light. 
In habits there is the greatest diversity ; we cannot discuss this sub¬ 
ject in this place nor have we much that is original to add to the little 
that is known. The reader should consult the following papers :— 
Jerdon (A. M. M. H. (2), XIII, pp. 45, 100) ; Wroughton (Jo. Bo. Nat. 
Hist. Soc., VII, pp. 39, 179) ; Rothney (Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1889, 
p. 355) ; (Jo. Bo. Nat. Hist. Soc., V, p. 38) ; Rothney (Trans. Ent. 
Soc. London, 1895, p. 211); Aitken (Jo. Bo. Nat. Hist. Soc., IV, p. 151 ; 
V, p. 422); Green (Proc. Ent. Soc., London, 1896) ; Green (Jo. Bo. 
Nat. Hist. Soc., XIII, p. 181). 
In general, the ants are scavengers, the workers bringing to the nest 
the food for the whole community. This food consists of dead insects, 
Fig. 127.— Camponotus compressus, 
MALE, x 3. 
Fig. 128 .—Camponotus compres¬ 
ses, FEMALE, X 3. 
any available nutritious animal matter, the sap of plants, any nutritious 
vegetable matter that can be obtained ; in this sense ants are excellent 
15 
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