CHAPTER XXI. 



THE order HYMENOPTERA (membrane-winged), metamor- 

 phosis complete, includes the Ants, Wasps, Bees, Saw- 

 Flies, &c. 



Of the Ants, the LARGE RED ANT (Formica rufa) and the 

 JET ANT (Formica fuliginosa) are the two 

 species generally imitated by the fly-fisher. 



In August and September, when, in vast 

 numbers, the winged ants leave the ant-hills 

 for the purpose of perpetuating their race, 

 many the males especially fall on the sur- THE RED ANT 

 face of the water and become food for fish. 



Messrs. Kirby and Spence, in their introduction to " Ento- 

 mology," give a most interesting account of the process 

 by which the female ant gets rid of her wings. They say : 

 " There is one circumstance occurring at this period of their 

 history which affords a very affecting example of self-denial 

 and self-devotion of these admirable creatures. If you have 

 paid any attention to what is going forward in an ant-hill, 

 you will have observed some larger than the rest, which at 

 first sight appear, as well as the workers, to have no wings, 

 but which, on closer examination, exhibit a small portion 

 of their base or socket in which they are inserted. These 

 are females that have cast their wings, not accidentally, but 

 by a voluntary act. When an ant of this sex first emerges 

 from the pupa she is adorned with two pair of wings, the 

 upper or outer pair being larger than her body. With 

 these, when a virgin, she is enabled to traverse the fields 

 of ether surrounded by myriads of the other sex who are 

 candidates for her favour ; but when once the connubial 

 rites are celebrated the unhappy husband falls and dies, 

 and the widowed bride seeks only how she may provide 

 for their mutual offspring. Panting no more to join the 



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