ANT. 
351 
stances, devouring the smaller kind of insects, 
caterpillars, &c. as well as fruits of different kinds. 
They are particularly attracted by sweets, and for 
this reason they ascend such trees as are infested 
with Aphides, in order to obtain the saccharine 
substance discharged by those animals; and hence 
seems to have arisen the idea of their enmity 
against the genus Aphis. Some species of Ants 
are furnished vvith a sting, while others are destitute 
of that part. 
The largest of the European Ants is the Formica 
Ilerculanea, or Great Wood- Ant, of a chesiiut 
colour, with tlie abdomen measuring two lines or 
more in length. This species is 'chiefly found in 
dry woods of pine or fir, where it inhabits a large 
conical nest or hilloc, composed of dry vegetable 
fragments, chiefly of fir-leaves: the nest is inter- 
nally distributed into several paths or tubes, con- 
verging towards the central part, and opening 
externally: in the middle or centre reside the 
young, or larvm, which are nursed by the neutral 
ants, and are occasionally brought to the surface, 
in order to be more within the influence of the air 
and sunshine for a certain time, after which they 
are again conveyed to the bottom or centre. 
When full grown, they envelop themselves in oval^ 
white, silken cases, in which they undergo thei^ 
change into chrysalis, and at length emerge ii;i 
their complete form. The males and females ar^ 
winged, and the females are much larger than the 
males. 
The common or black Ant, Formica iiigra. Lit}. 
