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dark Ipot before mentioned, and others much larger, and even per- 

 fectly formed, not to have the Icall appearance of it. And, to 

 invelligate the true nature of this dark fpot, which fome are fo timple 

 as to imagine is a young Ant, 1 opened the maggot, and faw moll 

 plainly that it was the animal's llomach, and that the darkifli appear- 

 ance was caufed by the food in the ftomach ; and, with regard to 

 thofe maggots which have not fuch a fpot, this is owing to the dif- 

 ferent kind of food brought to it by the parents. In this difl'ec- 

 tion I faw not only the ftomach, but the intellines adjoining to it, 

 which were filled with globular particles of a darkith colour. 



How is it polTible for us to fee in a maggot (which we call an 

 egg) a very minute young creature ? for I have before faid, that the 

 whole and entire maggot is transformed into an Ant, faving only 

 its Ikin which is left behind; but this Ikin or cuticle is fo thin, that 

 it does not amount to an hundreth part of the maggot's fubtlance. 



This maggot has on its body, except the belly, many hairs, and 

 is uncommonly lluggilh in its motions, fo that it is feldom feen even 

 to flretch itself out, or to contract its body, but it often moves its 

 head, and fometimes, though not often, opens its mouth. It is, in 

 a word, entirely unable to feek its food, and, as I may fay, lies im- 

 moveable in its netl, without ever changing its place, and there- 

 fore it is neceflary that the parent Ants, or fome others of the tribe, 

 iliould continually provide food and bring it to the yoimg ones. 



This being the cafe, the commonly received opinion mull be done 

 away, refpecting the indullry of Ants in carrying provilions to their 

 nefls for the purpofe only of laying up a llock of food for winter ; 

 whereas on the contrary, the greateft part, and who can tell whether 

 or not the whole, is laid up for the maggots which proceed from 

 their eggs (and who cannot poliibly feed themfelves), and to pro- 

 vide them with nourilliment until they are of fulRcient growth to 

 put on the Ihape of Ants. 



And, in like manner as I have faid, that the Weevil does not lay 

 many eggs at a time, like the Silkworm's moth, and the common 



