INTRODUCTION. XxxXIx 
species spin a silken envelope, in which 
they undergo their transformation, and 
then gives us excellent descriptions of 
several species of ants. 
Linnzus comes next: — he describes 
seven species of ants met with in Sweden; 
— treats of the large conical ant-hills 
abounding in fir-forests ; finds the female 
ants, as well as the males, furnished with 
wings ; which, he says, they lose a little 
time after birth, and is of opinion they 
never return to their original habit- 
ation. 
Geoffroy adds nothing to the facts 
brought forward by these excellent na- 
turalists: he falls, on the contrary, into 
several errors, which, as they have been 
combated by De Geer, I shall pass over 
in silence. 
‘This last author (De Geer) informs us, 
that the young ants cannot extricate them- 
selves from their silken envelope without 
the assistance of the labourers; and that 
the larvae of the shining black ant do 
not always spin, since we find in their 
