40 ANTS. 



and brimstone, which kills them, they came 

 back again, and settled in the place I had 

 appointed for them. They quickly grew 

 acquainted with their neighbours, and re- 

 ceived from them all manner of assistance out 

 of their holes. As for the inside of their 

 nest, none but themselves were concerned in 

 it, according to the inviolable laws established 

 among those animals. 



An Ant never goes into any other nest 

 but her own ; and if she should venture to 

 do it, she would be turned out, and severely 

 punished. I have often taken an Ant out of 

 one nest, to put her into another ; but she 

 quickly came out, being warmly pursued by 

 two or three other Ants. I tried the same 

 experiment several times with the same Ant ; 

 but at last the other Ants grew impatient, 

 and tore her to pieces. I have often frighted 

 some Ants with my fingers, and pursued 

 them as far as another hole, stopping all the 

 passages to prevent their going to their own 

 nest. It was very natural for them to fly into 

 the next hole : many a man would not be so 

 cautious, and would throw himself out of the 

 windows, or into a well, if he were pursued by 



