intelligence, as to stagger the vain theorist in 

 the midst of his speculations, and to render 

 insecure the distinction which he has endea- 

 voured to establish betv\^een the blindness of 

 instinct and the splendid nature of reason. 



But the far greater portion associate by pairs, 

 in their perfect state, for the important purpose 

 of continuing their race, and of these are the 

 species of the genus under consideration. It 

 has been long known that the Phil ant hi are 

 parasitic ; the female digs a hole in the earth 

 for the reception of her egg, with which she 

 places the body of an insect that she had killed 

 for the nurture of her young; she then com- 

 pletes her task by covering the hole with earth. 

 Latreille gives the following interesting account 

 of the P. apivortis of Europe. It is a dangerous 

 enemy of the domestic bee. The female digs 

 a horizontal gallery about a foot in depth in a 

 sloping bank of light earth exposed to the in- 

 fluence of the sun; she separates the earth, 

 and carries it to the surface by means of her 

 mandibles and feet. When the nest is thus 

 completed, the parent visits the neighbouring 

 flowers for the purpose of obtaining a honey 

 bee; she seizes her victim, and kills it by 

 piercing it with her sting at the junction of the 



PLATE 49. 



