484 HABITATIONS Ol" INSECTS- 



whole stages or stories of it made into a sort o^ papier 

 mdche, with earth and spiders' web^. 



Some ants form their nests of the leaves of trees. 

 One of these was observed by Sir Joseph Banks in 

 New South Wales, which was formed by glueing to- 

 gether several leaves as large as a hand. To keep 

 these leaves in a proper position, thousands of ants 

 united their strength, and if driven away, the leaves 

 spring back with great violence''. 



The most profound philosopher, equally with the 

 most incurious of mortals, is struck with astonishment 

 on inspecting the interior of a bee-hive. He beholds 

 a city in miniature. He sees this city divided into re- 

 gular streets, these streets composed of houses con- 

 structed on the most exact geometrical principles and 

 the most symmetrical plan, some serving for store- 

 houses for food, others for the habitations of the citi- 

 zens, and a few, much more extensive than the rest, 

 destined for the palaces of the sovereign. He perceives 

 that the substance of which the whole city is built, is 

 one which man, with all his skill, is unable to fabri- 

 cate ; and that the edifices in which it is employed are 

 such, as the most expert artist would find himself in- 

 competent to erect. And the whole is the work of a 

 society of insects ! " Quel abime (he exclaims with 

 Bonnet) anx yeux du sage qu^une ruche (fAbeilles / 

 Quelle sagesse profonde se cache dans cet abime ! Quel 

 philosophe osera le fonder ! ^^ Nor have its mysteries 



* Iluber, Recherckes, &c. 61. 



^ Hawkcsworth's Cook's Foi/ages, iii. 2T3. 



