214 SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY. 



provisions ; for, although, during the cold of our winters in this 

 country, they remain, for the most part, in a state of torpidity, and 

 have no need of food, yet in warmer regions, during the rainy sea- 

 sons, when they are probably confined to their nests, a store of pro- 

 vision may be necessary for them. Even in northern climates, 

 against wet seasons, they may provide in this way for their suste- 

 nance and that of their young brood, which, as Mr. Smeatham ob- 

 serves, are very voracious, and cannot bear to be long deprived of 

 their food ; else why do ants carry worms, living insects, and ma- 

 ny other such things into their nests ? 



Solomon's lesson to the sluggard has generally been adduced as 

 a strong confirmation of the ancient opinion ; it can, however, only 

 relate to the species of a warm climate, the habits of which are 

 probably different from those of a cold one ; so that his words, as 

 commonly interpreted, may be perfectly correct and consistent 

 with nature, and yet be not at all applicable to the species of ant 

 indigenous to Europe. But if Solomon's remarks are properly 

 considered, it will be found that this interpretation has been father- 

 ed upon them, rather than fairly deduced from them. He does 

 not affirm that the ant, which he proposes to his sluggard as an ex- 

 ample, laid up in her magazine stores of grain ; but that with con- 

 siderable prudence and foresight, she makes use of the proper sea- 

 son to collect a supply of provision sufficient for her purposes. 

 There is not a word in them implying that she stores up grain or 

 other provision. She prepares her bread, and gathers her food, 

 namely, such food as is suited to her, in summer and harvest that 

 is, when it is most plentiful ; and thus shows her wisdom and pru- 

 dence by using the advantages offered to her. The words^ thus 

 interpreted, which they may be without any violence, will apply to 

 the species among us as well as to those that are not indigenous. 



In several parts of the east there is a species of this insect which 

 is ex.remely destructive to almost every kind of property, and which 

 may perhaps help to illustrate Matt. vi. 18, 19, although the insect 

 there spoken of, is belonging to another genus. We quote the fol- 

 lowing from Forbes' * Oriental Memoirs.' 



'The termites, or white ants of Bombay, are so numerous and 

 destructive at Anjengo, that it is difficult to guard against their de- 

 predations : in a few hours they will demolish a large chest of books, 

 papers, silk, or clothes, perforating them with a thousand holes. 

 We dare not leave a box on the floor without placing it on glass 

 bottles, which, if kept free from dust, they cannot ascend. But this 

 is trifling when compared with the serious mischief they sometimes 

 occasion, by penetrating the beams of a house, or destroying the 

 timbers in a ship. These destructive animals advance by myriads 

 to their work, under an arched incrustation of fine sand, tempered 

 with a moisture from their body, which renders the covert way as 

 hard as burnt clay, and effectually conceals them while at their in- 

 sidious employment. 



' I could mention many curious instances of depredation by the 



