118 FECUNDATION OF ANTS. 
We see, then, that the females of ants 
lose their wings, but we little ex- 
nation, we are certainly indebted to our present 
author; but, as far as regards the simple fact of 
these insects losing their wings, Linneeus, De Geer, 
&c. were fully acquainted with it; to which indeed 
our author alludes. Gould himself conjectured, 
that the females which fell under his notice once 
possessed wings. After a few remarks on the con- 
dition of what he terms ant-flies, he says, “If you 
strip a large ant-fly of its wings, when a week old, 
or more, which is very easily done, for they will 
come off by the most gentle touch imaginable, and 
then place it in a microscope with a queen, you will 
perceive no manner of difference as to their frame ; 
the like indented places, or little hollows in the 
breast where the wings commonly lie, will be found 
in each; from whence, there is great reason to believe 
the queen was originally adorned with such gaiety, 
and appeared in the character of afly. It is also 
observable, as a strong confirmation of this senti- 
ment, that abundance of the large ant-flies, just 
before or soon after leaving the colonies, actually 
drop their wings, and, except a small difference in 
complexion, which has not yet attained its true gloss, 
are not to be distinguished from the queens. You 
may; the latter end of July, and great part of 
August, often meet with these unwinged ants, 
travelling about, as it were, at random. If you 
place a number of large ant-flies in a box, the wings 
of many of them will, after some time, gradually 
