PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 97 



comers and goers at that hour, however, was nothing 

 compared with the myriads that may always be seen on 

 these nests during the day. It so happened that our 

 visit was paid while the moon was near the full ; so that 

 whether this species is equally vigilant and active in the 

 absence of that luminary yet remains uncertain. Perhaps 

 this circumstance might reconcile Huber's observation 

 with ours, and confirm the accuracy of Aristotle's state- 

 ment before quoted. To the red mit, indeed, it is per- 

 fectly indifferent whether the moon shine or not ; they 

 are always busy, though not in such numbers as during 

 the day. It is probable that these creatures take their 

 repose at all hours indifferently ; for it cannot be sup- 

 posed that they are employed day and night without rest. 

 I have related to you in this and former letters most 

 of the works and employments of ants, but as yet I have 

 given you no account of their roads and track-ways. — 

 Don't be alarmed, and imagine I am going to repeat to 

 you the fable of the ancients, that they wear a path in 

 the stones ^ ; for I suppose you will scarcely be brought 

 to believe that, as Hannibal cut a way for the passage 

 of his army over the Alps by means of vinegar, so the 

 ants may with equal effect employ the formic acid : but 

 more species than one do really form roads which lead 

 from their formicaries into the adjoining country. Gould, 

 speaking of his jet-ant {F. fuliginosa), says that they 

 make several main track-ways, (streets he calls them,) 

 with smaller paths striking off from them, extending 

 sometimes to the distance of forty feet from their nest, 

 and leading to those spots in which they collect their 



" Plin. Hist. Nat. Ixi. c. 29. 

 VOL. II. H 



