274 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



loons, seemingly with no individual motion, and 

 having their heads turned towards the wind. 



^ Sometimes the swarms of a whole district unite 

 their infinite myriads, and, seen at a distance, pro- 

 duce an effect resembling the flashing of an aurora 

 borealis. Rising with incredible velocity, in dis- 

 tinct columns, they soar above the clouds. Each 

 column looks like a kind of slender net-work, and 

 has a tremulous, undulating motion, which has been 

 observed to be produced by the regular alternate 

 rising and falling just alluded to. The noise emitted 

 by myriads and myriads of these creatures does 

 not exceed the hum of a single wasp. The slightest 

 zephyr disperses them ; and if in their progress they 

 chance to be over your head, if you walk slowly on, 

 they will accompany you, and regulate their motions 

 by yours. The females continue sailing majesti- 

 cally in the centre of these numberless males, who 

 are candidates for their favour, each till some fortunate 

 lover darts upon her, and, as the Roman youth did 

 the Sabine virgins, drags his bride from the sportive 

 crowd, and the nuptials are consummated in mid- air ; 

 though sometimes the union takes place on the 

 summit of plants, but rarely in the nests. * After 

 this danse de Vamour is celebrated, the males disap- 

 pear, probably dying, or becoming, with many of 

 the females, the prey of birds or fish ; f for since 

 they do not return to the nest, they cannot be de- 

 stroyed, as some have supposed, like the drone-bees, 

 by the neuters. That many, both males and females, 

 become the prey offish, I am enabled to assert from 

 my own observation. In the beginning of August, 

 1812, I was going up the Orford-river, in Suffolk, 

 in a row-boat, in the evening, when my attention 

 was caught by an infinite number of winged ants, 

 both males and females, at which the fish were 



* De Geer, ii, 1104. t Gould, p. 99. 



