ANTS. 35 



upon that small heap of wheat. She was so 

 glad to find herself at liberty, that she ran away 

 to her nest, without carrying ofiP a grain ; but 

 she observed it ; for, an hour after, all my Ants 

 had notice given them of such a provision, 

 and I saw most of them very busy in carry- 

 ing away the corn I had laid up in the room, 

 I leave you to judge, whether it may not be 

 said, that they have a particular way of com- 

 municating their knowledge to one another ; 

 for otherwise how could they know one or two 

 hours after, that there was corn in that 

 place ? It was quickly exhausted ; and I put 

 in more, but in a small quantity, to know 

 the true extent of their appetite or prodigious 

 avarice ; for I make no doubt but they lay 

 up provisions against the winter. We read 

 it in holy scripture ; a thousand experiments 

 teach us the same ; and I do not believe that 

 any experiment has been made that shows 

 the contrary. 



I have said before, that there were three 

 Ants' nests in that box or parterre, which 

 formed, if I may say so, three different cities 

 governed by the same laws, and observing 

 the same order, and the same customs. How- 



