Hardwicke's Science-gossip: An Illustrated Medium of Interchange and Gossip ...

A Monthly Medium of Interchange and Correspondence for Students and Lovers of Nature. A never-failing source of ready and pleasant chat in the drawing-room or parlour. Illustrated with many cuts. The volumes for 1865 and 1866, each 58.

SUBTLE BRAINS & LISSOM FINGERS;

Being some of the Chisel-marks of our Industrial and Scientific
Progress, and other Papers. By A. WYNTER, M.D., M.R.C.P.
Lond. Crown 8vo.

68.

It contains, amongst other Articles:-Hedging against FateLondon Omnibuses-Water Supply of London-Buried HistoryOur Furniture-Our once Fat Friend-My First Deal in Horseflesh -Horses and Horse Copers-Our Great Iron-workers-Machine Tool-makers-The School of Cookery-Sweets for the MillionDeath in the Match-box-Human Wasters-The City CompaniesPhoto-Sculpture-" Old Clo '"-Longevity-A Word about Wines. "So long as Dr. Wynter continues to write papers similar to those in the volume before us, and in Curiosities of Civilization,' so long will the republication of those papers be welcomed by the public."Standard.

FROM 108. TO 128., HANDSOMELY BOUND,
A POPULAR HISTORY OF THE
TOILET and COSMETIC ARTS

THE USEFUL PLANTS OF GREAT
BRITAIN.

A Treatise on the Principal Native Vegetables capable of Appli-
cation as Food or Medicine, or in the Arts and Manufactures.
By C. P. JOHNSON. Illustrated by J. E. SOWERBY. 300
Illustrations coloured by hand.

128.

or, Botany as an Inductive Science. Translated by Dr. LANKESTER. 8vo. Hundreds of Woodcuts, and 6 pages of Figures beautifully engraved on Steel. 10s. 6d. Every Botanical Library should possess this work, as it contains the principles upon which all structural botany is based.

FROM ONE GUINEA UPWARDS, HANDSOMELY BOUND.

Handsomely bound, price One Guinea. A Large Edition, without descriptive letter-press, One Guinea.

THE FERN COLLECTOR'S ALBUM.

A Descriptive Folio for the reception of Natural Specimens ; con-
taining on the right-hand page a description of each fern printed
in colours, the opposite page being left blank, for the collector
to affix the dried specimen; forming, when filled, an elegant
and complete collection of this interesting family of plants.
Size of the Small Edition, 112 by 8 in.; Large Edition,
17 by 11 in.

1. 18.

Curiosities of Civilization; Our Social Bees, Both Series; and
Subtle Brains and Lissom Fingers; 4 volumes.
1. 48.

THE POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW.

A complete Set of this Interesting Periodical from its Commence-
ment in October 1861 to October 1866, 5 vols., 8vo., numerous
plates, bound in cloth, £3. 14s. 6d. ; or half-bound morocco,
4. 128. 6d.

Mr. JESSE'S BEAUTIFUL BOOK ON THE BRITISH DOG.
RESEARCHES INTO THE HISTORY

OF THE BRITISH DOG.

From Ancient Laws, Charters, and Historical Records. With Original Anecdotes and Illustrations of the Nature and Attributes of the Dog, from the Poets and Prose Writers of Ancient, Mediæval, and Modern Times. By GEORGE R. JESSE. With 33 engravings, designed and etched by the Author. 2 vols. £1. 12s.

8vo.

THE GRASSES OF GREAT BRITAIN:
Containing life-sized, full-coloured Drawings, with magnified
Organs, of 144 British Grasses, and Observations on their
Natural History and Uses. Described by CHARLES JOHNSON.
Illustrated by J. E. SOWERBY, in Royal 8vo. In monthly parts
at 2s. 6d.

"This is the most comprehensive Work on British Grasses, and is the only book which gives the magnified organ to enable the reader to recognize the various grasses.

THE GREAT NATIONAL WORK,

Publishing in Monthly Parts.
SOWERBY'S ENGLISH BOTANY:

Containing a Description and Life-Size Drawing of every British
Plant. Edited and brought up to the present standard of
scientific knowledge by T. BoSWELL SYME, F.L.S., &c. With
Popular Descriptions of the Uses, History, and Traditions of
each Plant, by Mrs. LANKESTER, Author of "Wild Flowers
worth Notice," "The British Ferns," &c. The Figures by
J. E. SOWERBY, JAMES SOWERBY, F.L.S., J. DE C. SOWERBY,
F.L.S., and J. W. SALTER, A.L.S.

The Distinctive Characteristics of this edition are,

1. A life-size drawing of every British plant, arranged according to the Natural System of De Candolle,

2. Where necessary, the plates are accompanied by illustrations of the structure of the various organs of the plant, especially of those structures discovered within the last few years by the use of the microscope.

3. All the illustrations are full-coloured, instead of half-coloured, and the utmost care is taken to adhere as closely as possible to nature. *** Six Volumes, more than half of the whole work, are now before the public.

Bound cloth.
2. s. d.

**A very few copies with PROOFS ON INDIA PAPER, £3. 38. "The compiler of these volumes may be said to have curtailed the labours of all future writers who take the Dog for a subject. contains considerable information connected with old laws and customs touching Dogs."-Athenæum.

"This really valuable addition to the literature of the day is accompanied with illustrations designed and sketched by Mr. Jesse himself."-Era.

"To all intents and purposes he has produced the best work upon the British Dog that has ever been written."-Bell's Messenger.

1 18 0 2 3 0 2 8 0 2 3 0 1 18 0 1 18 0

Half morocco. Morocco elegant.

Or the Seven Volumes complete to present time, £14. 6s. in cloth, 15. 148. in half morocco, and £71, 198. 6d. whole morocco.

LONDON: ROBERT HARDWICKE, 192, PICCADILLY, W.

NEWTON & CO.,

OPTICIANS AND SCIENTIFIC

INSTRUMENT

BY SPECIAL APPOINTMENT,

MAKERS,

TO THE QUEEN, H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES, AND THE GOVERNMENT,
3, FLEET STREET, TEMPLE BAR, LONDON.

NEWTON'S STUDENT'S ACHROMATIC MICROSCOPE,

With coarse and fine adjustments, Achromatic Object Glasses giving three different powers, and magnifying from 75 to 300 diameters; packed in Cabinet Case, 3. 31. Do. do., with 2 Achromatic Object Glasses, Condenser for opaque objects, on stand, Stage Forceps, &c., i. 4s. NEWTON'S CHEAP ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE,

s feet long, Achromatic Object Glass, 3 inches diameter, on Tripod Stand, Day and Night Eye-pieces, warranted to show all the principal Double Stars, Jupiter's Moons, Saturn's Rings, and read a church clock at 10 miles, £5.

NEWTON'S IMPROVED MAGIC-LANTERNS AND DISSOLVING VIEWS.

NEWTON'S CELEBRATED AND GREATLY-IMPROVED PHANTASMAGORIA LANTERNS, with Lenses 34 inches diameter, to show a Picture 8 feet in diameter, suitable for Schools and Lectures, 3. 38. MAGIC LANTERNS, with 12 Slides, from 7s. 6d. each. DISSOLVING VIEW APPARATUS, with 34-inch Lenses, 8. 8s. A most extensive Assortment of Slides, Photographs, Views, Buildings, Natural History, Astronomical, and Missionary Subjects. The Slides are painted on the premises by first-rate Artists. Any Object to order. Descriptive Lectures are published of many of the Sets. NEWTON'S IMPROVED APPARATUS can only be had at 3, Fleet Street, London. ** Illustrated Price Lists for three stamps. 66

THE

BRASS BODY COLLEGE" TELESCOPE,

WITH ONE DAY AND NIGHT EYE-PIECES, AND SUN-GLASS.
The whole packed in lock and key case, £5. 5s.

This Instrument has a brass body, with rackwork motion for focussing, and a
brass pillar claw footstand. The Object-glass is 23 in. clear aperture, and 34 ft.
focus. The Day power will show a Church Clock at 10 miles, and windows at
20 miles. The Night power will show Saturn's Ring, the Belts of Jupiter, and
separate many of the Double Stars. The lenses of this Instrument are first-
rate, and are equal, in every respect, to one of a much higher price.
Description sent Post-free. Carriage paid to any Railway Station in England,
on receipt of P. O. 0. for £5. 7s. 6d.

MANUFACTURED BY, AND TO BE HAD ONLY OF,

E. G. WOOD, MANUFACTURING OPTICIAN,

74, CHEAPSIDE, LONDON.

MICROSCOPIC OBJECT-DRAWING MADE EASY.

Mr. Suffolk's arrangement of Dr. Beale's Neutral Tint Reflector, with three glasses of different shades, 7s. 6d.

For size of fitting, send Eye-piece, or Eye-piece Cap per post.

CHARLES COLLINS,

77, GREAT TITCHFIELD STREET, PORTLAND PLACE, W.

JUST READY, and sent free by post on application, a NEW CATALOGUE of MICROSCOPES and APPARATUS, &c., including particulars of the HARLEY Binocular, WEBSTER Condenser, Dr. LAWSON'S Binocular Dissecting Microscope, Mounting Cases, and BOCKETT LAMP.

Post Orders to Great Portland Street Office.

FREDERICK

WESTLEY,

(For upwards of Eighteen Years with Carpenter & Westley),

OPTICIAN TO THE MOST EMINENT OCULISTS.

SPECTACLES accurately fitted to the face, and adapted to LONG or SHORT SIGHT; CATARACT, both before and after the operation; CONICAL CORNEA; and every defect of vision. F.W. has lately introduced CYLINDRICAL LENSES in the form of Spectacles and Eyeglasses, which must eventually supersede the use of all others.

27A, OLD BOND STREET, LONDON, W.

STATHAM'S CHEMICAL AMUSEMENT CHESTS AND PORTABLE LABORATORIES

Obtained PRIZE MEDALS-International Exhibition, London, 1862, "for
Quality and Cheapness," and at Paris Universal Exhibition, 1867;
And afford a constant fund of Instructive Amusement in Chemical Recreation, by
the performance of the Brilliant Experiments exhibited at the Polytechnic and
other scientific Institutions-free from danger-and supply a constant pastime in
"Chemical Magic" for leisure hours, wet days, and evenings. "Youths' Cabi-
nets," 5s. 6d., 7s. 6d., and 10s. 6d. "Boy's Own Laboratory," 12s. 6d. "Stu-
dents' Cabinets," 21s., 31s. 6d., 42s., 63s. "Economic Laboratory," 105s., 210s.
Statham's "First Steps in Chemistry," containing 145 experiments, 6d.
mentary Chemistry," 1s. and 2s.; by post, 1s. 2d. and 2s. 4d.
Illustrated Catalogue free for Two Stamps.

W. E. STATHAM, 111F, STRAND, W.C., and sold by Chemists, Opticians, Booksellers, &c.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

HIS is inodorous, having no smell of formic acid. It is a large reddishbrown ant, dwells in the ground, is a farmer, lives in communities, which are often very populous, and controlled by a perfect government; there are no idlers amongst them. They build paved cities, construct roads, and sustain a large military force.

When one of the young queens, or mother ants, comes to maturity, and has received the embraces of the male ant, who immediately dies, she goes out alone, selects a location, and goes rapidly to work excavating a hole in the ground, digging and carrying out the dirt with her mouth. As soon as she has progressed far enough for her wings to strike against the sides of the hole, she deliberately cuts them off. She now, without further obstruction, continues to deepen the hole to the depth of 6 or 7 inches, when she widens the bottom of it into a suitable cell for depositing her eggs and nurturing the young. She continues to labour outdoors and in, until she has raised to maturity 20 to 30 workers, when her labour ceases, and she remains in the cells, supplying the eggs for coming millions, and her kingdom has commenced. But very few of the thousands of mother ants that swarm out from the

*See Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences, Philadelphie, 1866, p. 323, for further particulars.

No. 37.

Museum of Comparati

different kingdoms two or

Zoology

NOV 16 1942

three times a year succeed in establishing a city. However, when one does succeed in rearing a sufficient number of workers to carry on the business, she entrusts the management of the national works to them, and is seen no more outside.

The workers all seem to understand the duties assigned to them, and will perform them or die in the effort.

The workers increase the concealment, which had been kept by the mother ant during the period of her personal labours, of the passage or gateway to their city by dragging up and covering it with bits of stick, straw, and the hard black pellets of earth which are thrown up by the earthworms, until there is no way visible for them to enter; and the little litter is so ingeniously placed, that it has more the appearance of having been drifted together by the wind than to have been the work of design.

In about a year and a half, when the numbers of the community have greatly increased, and they feel able to sustain themselves among the surrounding nations, they throw off their concealment, clear away the grass, herbage, and other litter to the distance of 3 or 4 feet around the entrance to their city, construct a pavement, organize an efficient police, and, thus established, proclaim themselves an independent city. The pavement, which is always kept very clean, consists of a pretty hard crust about half an inch thick, and is formed by selecting and laying such grits and particles of sand as will fit closely over the entire surface. This is the case in sandy soil, where they can procure coarse sand and grit for the purpose, but in the black prairie soil, where there is no sand, they construct the pavement by levelling and smoothing the surface, and suffering it to bake in the sunshire, when it becomes very hard and firm. That both forms of these pavements are the work of a wellplanned design, there can be no doubt with the careful investigator. All the communities of this

species select their homes in the open sunshine, and construct pavements. Their pavements are always circular, and constructed pretty much on the same plan. During the ten years' drought that prevailed here, and which seemed very favourable to the increase of this species of ant, they suffered their pavements to remain flat, sometimes even basinform. But the drought could not continue always. The rain, which would be certain to drown the ants should it come upon their flat and basin-form pavements, would return again some day, and they seemed to know when this much-dreaded event would occur. At least six months previous to the coming of the rain, they commenced, universally, building up mounds in the centre of the pavements. To these mounds in the prairie they brought the little pellets of earth thrown to the surface by the earth-worms, and piled them up into a circular mound a foot or more in height. In sandy soil it is constructed of coarse sand, and in rocky situations they build it of gravel, and the pieces are so large, and the mound so high (18 inches to 2 feet, with a 4 feet base) that the beholder is overwhelmed with wonder. I know of one of these stone pyramids nearly 3 feet high, and 5 to 6 feet base, in which there are many little fragments of stone, some of them carried to the very top, any one of which would weigh more than 25 ants. Internally, the ant mound contains many neatly constructed cells, the floors of which are horizontal; and into these cells the eggs, young ones, and their stores of grain are carried in time of rainy seasons.

The mound itself, and the surface of the ground around it, to the distance of 4 or 5 feet, sometimes more, from the centre, is kept very clean, like a pavement. Everything that happens to be dropped upon the pavement is cut to pieces and carried away. The largest dropping from the cows will, in a short time, be removed. I have placed a large corn-stalk on the pavement, and in the course of two or three days found it hollowed out to a mere shell; that too, in a short time, would be cut to pieces and carried off. Not a green 'thing is suffered to grow on the pavement, with the exception of a single specimen of grain-bearing grass (Aristida stricta). This the ant nurses and cultivates with great care; having it in a circle around, and 2 or 3 feet from the centre of the mound. It also clears away the weeds and other grasses all around outside of the circular row of Aristida, to the distance of 1 or 2 feet. The cultivated grass flourishes luxuriantly, producing a heavy crop of small, white, flinty grains, which under the microscope have the appearance of the rice of commerce. When it is ripe it is harvested by the workers, and carried, chaff and all, into the granary cells, where it is divested of the chaff, which is immediately taken out and thrown beyond the limits of the pavement, always to the lee side. The clean grain is

carefully stored away in dry cells. These cells are so constructed that water cannot reach them, except in long wet spells, when the earth becomes thoroughly saturated, and dissolves the cement with which the granary cells are made tight. This is a great calamity, and if rain continues a few days it will drown out the entire community. In cases, however, where it has continued long enough only to wet and swell their grain, as soon as a sunny day occurs, they take it all out, and spreading it in a clean place, after it has sunned a day or two, or is fully dry, they take it in again, except the grains that are sprouted; these they invariably leave out. I have seen at least a quart of sprouted seeds left out at one place.

They also collect the grain from several other species of grass, as well as seed from many kinds of herbaceous plants. They like almost any kind of seeds-red pepper seeds seem to be a favourite with them.

In a barren rocky place in a wheat-field, ́a few days after harvest, I saw quite a number of wheat grains scattered over the pavement of an ant city, and the labourers were still bringing it out. I found the wheat quite sound, but a little swelled. In the evening of the same day I passed there again; the wheat had dried, and they were busily engaged carrying it in again.

The species of grass they so carefully cultivate is a biennial. They sow it in time for the autumnal rains to bring it up. Accordingly, about the 1st of November, if the fall has been seasonable, a beautiful green row of the ant rice, about 4 inches wide, is seen springing up on the pavement, in a circle of 14 to 15 feet in circumference. In the vicinity of this circular row of grass they do not permit a single spire of any other grass or weed to remain a day; leaving the Aristida untouched until it is ripe, which occurs in June of the next year, they gather the seeds and carry them into the granaries as before stated. There can be no doubt of the fact that this peculiar species of grass is intentionally planted, and, in farmer-like manner, carefully divested of all other grasses and weeds during the time of its growth, and that after it has matured and the grain stored away, they cut away the dry stubble and remove it from the pavement, leaving it unencumbered until the ensuing autumn, when the same species of grass, and in the same circle, appears again, receiving the same agricultural care as did the previous crop; and so on, year after year, as I know to be the case on farms where their habitations are, during the summer season, protected from the depredations of cattle. Outside of the fields they sow the grass seeds, but the cows crop it down two or three times, when, finding that there is no chance to carry on their agricultural pursuits, they cut it all away and re-establish the clean pavement. Our cattle did not often crop the ant rice until their

« Previous Continue »