19^ TRANSFORMATION'S OF INSECTS. 



THE ANT FAMILY. 



( ForiniciJa:. ) 



Ants are so common in nearly every part of the globe that 

 they are very well-known insects ; nevertheless, they have all sorts 

 of characters given them. They are considered destructive and 

 encroaching, as well as disagreeable things, and they have, as a 

 rule, a very doubtful reputation amongst the public in nearly 

 every country ; but naturalists and those who inquire a little more 

 carefully into the mysteries of the insect world, are always ready 

 to admire their wonderful instincts. In fact, the ants possess 

 those marvellous gifts in as great a degree as any other beings. 

 The ancients were struck with their admirable underground 

 works, and from the earliest times imagination has assisted those 

 who look superficially into the natural history of these little 

 creatures, at the expense, however, of truth. The curious idea — 

 which appears to have commenced in very remote times, and 

 to have been carried down by tradition, and which was assisted 

 by the results of careless observations — concerning the habits of 

 the ants in collecting and storing up provisions, as it were, under 

 the influence of a wise foresight, is evidently incorrect. But 

 although this foresight is not developed in the ants, they still 

 have a few resemblances by v/hich they can be compared with 

 men, so far as social habits are concerned. The same is true for 

 wasps and bees, and many other insects, but when the matter is 

 carefully looked into, the analogy between the insect and human 

 society is much less than might have been supposed. It is evident 

 that all the individuals of a tribe of ants act in concert to carry 

 on a common work, which is invariably effected by means of all, 

 or at least of the greatest possible number of the insects. This 

 is certainly wonderful, but there is nothing like what is observed 

 and which appears to be inevitable in human society, namely, a 

 hierarchy composed of individuals which command, and of others 

 who obey. To all appearance, the most perfect equality exists 

 between all the individuals of insect societies ; no one commands 

 and does not work, for they all work, and each insect appears to 

 understand what is required of it, and affords assistance to others 



