68 February 1749. 



It feems that Providence has, befides 

 other views, aimed to protect feveral forts 

 of birds, it being very cold and ftormy about 

 this time, by preferving even the dry leaves 

 on thefe trees. I have this winter at feve- 

 ral times feen birds hiding in the trees co- 

 vered with old leaves during a fevere cold 

 or ftorm. 



February the 13th. As I began to dig a 

 hole to-day, I found feveral infects which 

 were crept deep into the ground in order to 

 pafs the winter. As foon as they came to 

 the air, they moved their limbs a little, but 

 had not ftrength fufficient for creeping, ex- 

 cept the black ants, which crept a little, 

 though flowly. 



Formica nigra, or the black ant, were 

 pretty numerous, and fomewhat lively. 

 They lay about ten inches below the fur- 

 face. 



Car a bus /at us. Some of thefe lay at the 

 fame depth with the ants. This is a very 

 common infect; in all North America. 



Scarabs us ; chemut-coloured, with a 

 hairy thorax; the elytra? morter than the 

 abdomen, with feveral longitudinal lines, 

 befet with hair. I: is fomething fimilar to 

 t lie cock-chaffer, but differs in many refpects. 

 I found it very abundant in the ground. 



-^ Gryllus 



