29 



LETTER V. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 



DEAR EMILY, 



An ant-hill, in one of our most curious flower- 

 beds, has given us a great deal of trouble ; but I do 

 not regret it, because it has been the means of open- 

 ing a scene of new wonders to my mind. Though 

 Rachel was vexed to see her flowers covered with 

 ants, yet she could not help watching their motions, 

 which drew my attention to them. I was surprised 

 to perceive, that, though they were generally without 

 wings, some of them were furnished with four large 

 ones. Rachel informed me that the winged insects 

 differ in sex from those which have no wings, and are 

 the parents of the community ; that the greater num- 

 ber of them are a kind of neutral insect, that labours 

 for the whole, by building their nests, and taking care 

 of the young ; with many other curious particulars, 

 w^hich would almost make one believe that they were 

 endowed with reason, their instincts are so completely 

 fitted to their wants. I passed the chief part of my 

 morning in observing this busy multitude, and was 

 particularly diverted with seeing several of them 



