k 
YY 
g 
7 
OF a a a 
NATURAL 
after the first tornado, which, at the 
Jatter end of the dry season, pro- 
claims the approach of the ensuing 
rains, and-seldom waits for a second 
or third shower, if the first, as is 
generally the case, happens in the 
night, and brings much wet after it. 
The quantities that are to be. 
found the next morning, all over the 
surface of the earth, but particu- 
larly on the waters, is astonishing ; 
for their wings are only calculated 
to carry them a few hours, and after 
the rising of the sun, not one ina 
thousand is to be found with four 
wings, unless the morning continues 
rainy, when here and there a solitary 
beingisseen winging its way from one 
place to another, as if solicitous only 
to avoid its numerous enemies, par- 
ticularly various species of ants, 
which are hunting on every spray, on 
every leaf, and in every possible 
place, for this unhappy race, of 
which, probably, not a pair in many 
millions get into-a place of safety, 
fulfil the first law of nature, and lay 
the foundation of a new community. 
Not only all kinds of ants, birds, 
and carnivorous reptiles, as well as 
insects, are upon the hunt for them, 
but the inhabitants of many coun- 
tries, and particularly of that part 
Africa where I was, eat them. 
On the following morning, how- 
ever, as I have observed, they are to 
be seen running upon the ground in 
chace of each other; sometimes 
with one or two wings still hanging 
to their bodiesy which are not only 
useless, but seem rather cumber- 
some. 
The greater part have no wings, 
but they run exceeding fast, the 
‘males after the females; I have 
sometimes remarked two males after 
one female, contending with great 
eagerness who should win the prize, 
HISTOR Y. 947 
regardless of the innumerable daa- 
gers that surrounded them. 
They are now become, from one 
of the most active, industrious, and 
rapacious, one of the most fierce and 
implacable little animals in the 
world, the most innocent, helpless, 
and cowardly; never making the 
least resistance to the smallest ant. 
The ants are to be seen on every 
side in infinite numbers, of various 
Species and sizes, dragging these an. 
nual victims of the Jaws o! nature to 
their different nests, It is wonder- 
ful that a pair should ever escape so 
many dangers, and get into a place 
of security. Some, however, are so 
fortunate; and being found by some 
of the labouring insects, that are 
continually, running about the sur- 
face of the ground, under. their 
covered galleries, which I shall 
shortly describe, are elected kings 
and queens of new states; all those 
who are not so elected and preserved, 
certainly perish, and most probably 
in the course of the following day, 
The manner in which these labourers 
protect the happy pair from. their 
innumerable enemies, not only on 
the day of the massacre of almost 
all their race, but for a long time 
after, will, I hope, justify me in the 
use of the term election. ‘The little 
industrious creatures immediately 
enclose them in a small chamber of 
clay, suitable to their size, into whith 
at first they leave but one small 
entrance, large enough for theme 
selves and the soldiers to goin and 
out, but much too little for either of 
the royal pair to make use of; and 
when necessity obliges them tomake 
more entrances, they are never 
larger ; so that of course the volun- 
tary subjects charge themselves with 
the task of providing for the offspring 
of their’ sovereigns, as well as to 
3P2 work 
