ine sunny morning it is not uncommon, to see ants busily engaged
in bringing out all the eggs from the nest and laying them in the sun
until they become thoroughly warmed, after which they carry them all
back again and lay them in their respective places. This looks very
like a power of reasoning, as it is decidedly beyond instinct. If they
were to carry out the eggs every morning, wet or dry, it would be an
effort of instinct to the detriment of the eggs; but as the weather is
uncertain, it is an effort of reason on the part of the ants to bring
out the eggs to the sun, especially as it is not an every-day
occurrence, even in fine weather.

In Mauritius, the negroes have a custom of turning the reasoning powers
of the large black ant to advantage.

White ants are frequently seen passing in and out of a small hole from
underneath a building, in which case their ravages could only be
prevented by taking up the flooring and destroying the nest.

The negroes avoid this by their knowledge of the habits of the black
ant, who is a sworn enemy to the white.

They accordingly pour a little treacle on the ground within a yard of
the hole occupied by the white ants. The smell of the treacle shortly
attracts some of the black species, who, on their arrival are not long
in observing their old enemies passing in and out of the hole. Some of
them leave the treacle; these are evidently messengers, as in the
course of the day a whole army of black ants will be seen advancing, in
a narrow line of many yards in length, to storm the stronghold of the
white ants. They enter the hole, and they destroy every white ant in
the building. Resistance there can be none, as the plethoric,
slow-going white ant is as a mouse to a cat in the encounter with his
active enemy, added to which the black ant is furnished with a most
venomous sting, in addition to a powerful pair of mandibles. I have
seen the black ants returning from their work of destruction, each
carrying a slaughtered white ant in his mouth, which he devours at
leisure. This is again a decided effort of reason, as the black ant
arrives at the treacle without a thought of the white ant in his mind,
but, upon seeing his antagonist, he despatches messengers for
reinforcements, who eventually bring up the army to the "rendezvous."

Numerous instances might be cited of the presence of reasoning powers
among the insect classes, but this faculty becomes of increased
interest when se