380 OBSERVATIONS 



hour after three in the afternoon, the people of Sel- 

 borne were surprised by a shower of aphides, which 

 fell in these parts. They who were walking the 

 streets at that time, found themselves covered with 

 these insects, which settled also on the trees and 

 gardens, and blackened all the vegetables where they 

 alighted. These armies, no doubt, were then in a 

 state of emigration, and shifting their quarters ; and 

 might, perhaps, come from the great hop planta- 

 tions of Kent or Sussex, the wind being that day 

 at north. They were observed at the same time at 

 Farnham, and all along the Vale at Alton. 



WHITE. 



ANTS. August 23. Every ant-hill, about this 

 time, is in a strange hurry and confusion ; and all 

 the winged ants, agitated by some violent impulse, 

 are leaving their homes, and, bent on emigration, 

 swarm by myriads in the air, to the great emolu- 

 ment of the hirundines, which fare luxuriously. 

 Those that escape the swallows, return no more to 

 their nests, but, looking out for fresh settlements, 

 ay a foundation for future colonies. All the females 

 at this time are pregnant; the males that escape 

 being eaten, wander away and die. 



October 2. Flying ants, male and female, usually 

 swarm and migrate on hot sunny days in August 

 and September ; but this day a vast emigration took 

 place in my garden, and myriads came forth, in ap- 

 pearance, from the drain which goes under the fruit 

 wall; filling the air and the adjoining trees and 

 shrubs with their numbers. The females were full 

 of eggs. This late swarming is probably owing 

 to the backward wet season. The day following, not 

 one flying ant was to be seen. 



Horse ants travel home to their nests laden with 



