HYMENOPTERA. 383 
being mothers themselves, they share in the duties and joy of 
maternity. Alone, they decide on peace or war; alone, they take 
part in combats: head, heart, and arm of the republic, they ensure 
ts prosperity, watch over its defence, found colonies, and in their 
works show themselves great and persevering artists.” 
The nests of ants (Figs. 361, 862) are known under the name 
of ant-hills. They vary very much, both as to their form, and 
the materials employed in making them: wood and earth are the 
principal. ‘That which strikes one at first sight, is the size 
of these dwellings, which forms a curious contrast to the smallness 
ft their builders. Each species of ant has an order of architec- 
ure peculiar toit. The Tawny, or Russet-coloured ant (Formica 
‘ufa), one of the commonest in our woods, constructs a little 
‘ounded hillock with all kinds of objects, fragments of wood, bits 
of straw, dry leaves, grains of wheat, the remains of insects, «ce. 
[his hillock, whose base is protected by material of greater 
solidity, is nothing more than the exterior envelope of the nest, 
vhich is carried underground to a very great depth. Avenues, 
leverly contrived, lead from the summit to the interior. The 
ypenings vary in width; and as night approaches, are carefully 
yarricaded. They are opened every morning except on rainy 
lays, when the doors remain shut, and the inhabitants confined 
vithin. 
The ant-hill, or formicarium, is at first simply a hole hollowed 
ut in the soil, the entrance to which is masked by the building 
naterials. But the miners do not cease to hollow out galleries 
ind chambers, arranged by stories. The earth and rubbish are 
‘arried out, and serve to construct the upper edifice, which rises at 
he same time that the excavation grows deeper. It is a laby- 
inth bored in all directions. It contains corridors, landings, 
‘hambers, and spacious rooms, which communicate with each 
ther by passages which are often vertical. All the corridors 
ead to a large central space, loftier than the others, and supported 
y pillars; it is here that the greater number of the ants congre- 
rate. ‘These ant-hills often rise to a height of fifteen inches above 
he ground, and descend to an equal depth. ‘The figure shows the 
nterior of an aut-hill, drawn from nature. Outside it are to be 
een some ants, occupied in sucking plant-lice. 

