females, tlie workers, or neuters, as tliey are sometimes called, being wingless.

Our first example of this most interesting group is the Wood- Ant, Horse- Ant, or Hill- Ant {Formica rufa), which is shown on Woodcut XXXIII. Figs. 4, 5, 6, all the figures being magnified. At Fig. 4 is shown the perfect male, at Fig. 6 the perfect female, and at Fig. 5 the imperfect female, neuter, or worker.

These are our largest British ants, the female exceeding a third of an inch in length, and the male being only a little less. The workers are of two sizes, one rather more than a quarter of an inch in length, and the other about the fifth or sixth of an inch. In the female, the head and thorax are rustred, and the abdomen black. The wings are translucent milky white, with a tinge of brown towards the base. The male is with red legs, and has wings like those of the yellowish-black, female. The larger workers are coloured much like the perfect female, but there is more black about them. The smaller are generally darker than their larger sisters of labour. workers

This is one of the commonest species of British ants, as is evident from the fact that it has three popular names. It is Wood- Ant because it prefers woods for its habitation ; termed Ant, because it is larger than the other species ; and Horseon account of the shape of its nests. These nests are Hill-Ant in our woods, and especially plentiful in firvery common the needle-like leaves of the fir-trees woods, because in them to the ground, and afford material ready prefall in numbers the hillocks in which are concealed those pared for making the habitation which are above ground. Sometimes portions of themselves by taking advantage of a the ants further protect to the ground, and building their nests tree which is hollow within it. , , . p, r nest, which is often of enor-

In order to form this external mous size, the ants travel to great distances, always following in course of time is plain to the some definite track, which be within their nest. At hen even though all the ants eve to a track, they adhere to it, and once these ants have taken to use it. I have been many successive generations continue who stated that they have been sho™ ant-roads by old men, recollections. On a hne with them from their earliest familiar

day, it is very interesting to watch the Ants travelling baclcwards and forwards on these roads, some going out to their

work, and others returning with bits of stick, blades of grass,

small leaves, and other materials for the nest. Some, again,

carry in their jaws caterpillars, flies, and other insects for food, and in all cases, whenever a caterpillar or a grub is carried, it is held by one end of the body, so that it projects straight in front of the Ant.

Some Ants are detailed to climb the trees near the path, in search of aphides or other insects, and in many cases, if a tree be examined closely, it will be found to swarm with Ants, even to the ends of the twigs. A smart kick to the trunk of the tree will often bring down quite a shower of Wood Ants, many of them retaining in their jaws the prey which they had captured.

The nest, towards which all their labours tend, is mostly built under some sort of cover, such as a bush or tree, though many nests are totally unconcealed. It consists of two portions, one below the surface of the ground, and the other above it. Though it is made of such fragile materials as small twigs and leaves, which are put together without any cement or without being even interwoven, it is tolerably firm in its structure, and completely riddled with chambers and passages, all communicating with each other. In consequence of the loose architecture of the nest, it is a very difficult business to see its internal economy, the walls of the chambers and passages tailing to pieces as soon as the nest is opened, and leaving not a vestige of their presence except the unfortunate inhabitants' which they contained. _ I have, however, succeeded in obtaining an excellent view into the interior of a Wood Ants’ nest, though it was but a short one. Accompanied by my friend Mr. H. J. B. Hancock I was visiting some remarkably fine Wood Ants’ nests near Bagshot.^ We took with us a large piece of plate-glass, placed It edgewise on the top of an ant-hill, and, standing one at each side, cut the nest completely in two, leaving the glass almost w oily buned in it. After the expiration of a few weeks uring which time the Ants could repair damages, we returned 0 he spot, and, with a spade, removed one side of the nest as tar as the glass, which then served as a window through which

we could look into the nest. It was really a wonderful sight.

The ant-hill was honeycombed into passages and cells, in all of which the inhabitants were hurriedly running about, being alarmed at the unwonted admission of light into their dwellings. In some of the chambers the pupae were treasured, and these chambers were continually entered by Ants, which jDicked up the helpless pupae and carried them to other parts of the nest where the unwelcome light had not shown itself. Unfortunately, this view lasted only a short time. Owing to the partial decomposition of the vegetable substances of which the Ants’ nest is made, the interior is always hot and always moist. Now, the day on which we visited the nest happened to be a cold one, and, in consequence, the moisture of the nest was rapidly condensed on the inner surface of the glass, and in a few minutes completely hid the nest from view, leaving me only time to make a rapid sketch. Unfortvmately some one discovered the plate of glass and stole it. Next time that I examine a Wood Ants’ nest I shall take care to insert the glass exactly east and west, and shall open its southern side towards noon on a hot, sunshiny day, so that the rays of the Rim may warm the glass and prevent evaporation.

At the bottom of Plate XI. part of this nest is shown, with the Ants running to and fro and carrying off the white pup® which are lying in the passages. On the left hand, near the bottom, may be seen that curious little beetle, Quedius hvevis, which has so strange a habit of living in the nests of this Ant. This beetle has been described on page 75. No less than twenty species of beetles have been found by I)r. Power inhabiting the nest of this Ant. When the nest is disturbed a very pungent vapour arises, not unlike that of strong vinegar, grievously affects both the eyes and nostrils. This is

and

caused by the formic acid, which is secreted by Ants in great Indeed, it -is so plentiful that in some parts of the

quantities.

world ‘ ant-vinegar ’ is made by steeping Ants in boiling water

and extracting the formic acid from them.

Mention has been made of the pup® of the Ant. These are oval, white bodies that are populaidy called ‘ ants’

the little,

eggs.’ The transformations of the Ant tribe are very simple.

The larva is fed by the nurses until it is full-grown, when it

sets to work and spins for itself a cocoon in which it is entirely enveloped. The charge of tjiese cocoons falls upon the workers, and admirable nurses they are. They take the greatest care of the cocoons, continually shifting them to higher or lower parts of the nest according to the temperatm-e of the day. If one of these cocoons be opened the insect is found lying inside it, nearly as white as its habitation, and having its limbs tucked against its body. The cocoons are of different sizes, the largest containing those of the perfect males and females, the next size those of the larger workers, and the smallest those of the little workers.

When the perfect insects are developed, they often make their appearance in vast multitudes, and, as they are not able to direct their flight against the wind, are blown about at random just as the breeze happens to turn. Sometimes they fall into the river, where the fish hold high festival over them, and, out of the swarms which leave a nest only a very few survive and found fresh colonies. Indeed, were they all to live, or were even a moderate percentage to survive, the whole country would be eaten up by the Wood Ant alone in a few years. Supposing, however, a pair to have escaped the many dangers of their flight, they disrobe themselves of their wings, and do so, not by tearing them from their insertions, but by simply unhitching them. The wings are thrown well forward, and the insect sharply presses their ends against the ground, when they immediately fall off, and are left lying where they fell, the Ant running away, apparently quite pleased at being rid of its beautiful wings.

The habits of other British Ants are, on the whole, very much like those of the Wood Ant, though each species has some peculiarity of its own. For example, the Black Ant {Formica fuligvnosa) is remarkable for its sluggish nature, so different from the quick, active fussiness of Ants in general. If a nest of the Black Ant be opened tiie insects take it very easily, moving gently and quietly as if half-paralysed. However, with all their slowness, they seem to have a very good idea of taking care of themselves, and contrive to slip out of sight, while the more active Yellow or Bed Ants would be lussing about, trying one means of escape after another.

Sometimes two entirely distinct species of i^nt may be found to occupy different sides of the same hillock, and I have found the Black Ant and the Yellow Ant under the bark of a little fir-stump about seven inches in diameter. Until I took off the bark I was not aware of their existence ; and it was a very curious sight to see two distinct colonies in such close proximity, yet neither interfering with the other. Mr. F. Smith mentions that he has foimd a nest of another ant, Myrmica Icevinodu, within a hill made by the Wood- Ant. Myrmica nitidula has been taken in the same locality.

The Eed Ant {Formica sanguinea) is worthy of some notice, because it is one of the slave-making species. It invades the nests of other Ants and carries off the pupje, and transfers them to its own nest. The captors take as much care of them as of their own pupae ; and, when they assume the perfect form, make slaves of them. Mr. Smith mentions no less than four species of Ants which are thus imprisoned and enslaved by the Eed Ant. The large workers resemble the females in colour, and vary in length from the third to the fourth of an inch. They are fierce and courageous, and by them the nests of other Ants are stormed and the pupae carried off as spoils of war. The small worker is rather duller in hue, the crown of the head, the middle of the thorax, and the legs being rather dun than red.

The colour of, the female is blood-red, slightly toned down with a very fine ashen dun. The abdomen is reddish-black, and so are the top of the head and the face. The wings resemble those of the Wood Ant. The male resembles that of the Wood Ant, but is redder. This Ant is not very generally distributed throughout England, but is plentiful in some places, such as the New Forest.

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