50 ANTS. 



one in the afternoon : the sun being very 

 hot, and sky very clear, I could perceive no 

 reason for it. But half an hour after, the 

 sky began to be overcast, and there fell a 

 small rain, which the ants foresaw. 



I have said before, that those Ants which 

 I so particularly observed, fetched their corn 

 out of a garret. There was some old corn 

 in it ; and as every grain was net alike, I 

 observed that they chose the best. 



I know, by several experiments, that those 

 little animals take great care to provide 

 themselves with wheat when they can find it, 

 and always pick out the best ; but they are 

 able to do without it. When they can get 

 no wheat, they take rye, oats, millet, and 

 even crumbs of bread; but seldom any 

 barley, unless it be in a time of great scarcity, 

 and when nothing else can be had.- 



Being willing to be more particularly in- 

 formed of their forecast and industry, I put a 

 small heap of wheat in a corner of the room, 

 where they stationed themselves ; and to pre- 

 vent their fetching com out of the garret, I 

 shut up the window, and stopt all the holes. 



