THE ANTS

A fine book for the specialist, of doubtful interest to the layman, this is a small sampling of one myrmecologist's observations -- issued as one of the first volumes in the new Ann Arbor Science Library Scries, books by scientists beamed to the general reader. Dr. Goetsch describes his experiments to determine how ants adapt to the environments, how they build their nest, find their way, mate and hunt. A guide to the anatomy, communal life and kingdoms of the ubiquitous ant, much of the book is devoted to the local legends which have grown up around the world citing and sometimes exaggerating the intelligence of the ant. Similarities and contrarieties among the harvester ant, meadow ant, Messor ants, Pheidole ants and many others of the 6000 known species are noted factually. Although the material is presented clearly, Dr. Goetsch has not the command of language which Maeterlink brought to scientific writing.