FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 101 
winged ants: several females were in the 
midst of this swarm; and these are they 
who, doubtless, draw together all the 
males of which it is composed. The 
swarm takes no particular direction, nei- 
ther removing from, nor approaching the 
ant-hill they had left; but, in place of 
this, raise and lower themselves alter- 
nately, about ten feet from the surface of 
the ground. Whilst this general move- 
ment takes place, which is effected with 
considerable slowness, all the males form- 
ing the main body of the swarm, fly in 
a zig-zag direction, with considerable ra- 
pidity: the females, on the contrary, 
remain suspended, like balloons; they 
face the wind, and seem in a state of im- 
mobility. ‘They continue, however, to 
ascend and descend with the swarm, un- 
til the males dart upon them, separate 
them from the crowd, and impregnate 
them, even in mid-air. 
I have often noticed, in the month of 
September, similar swarms. ‘These in- 
sects admitted of easy observation, since 
F 3 
