346 OBSEBVAT1ONS ON INSECTS AND YERMES. 



September 6th, I find the following note to the article, 

 Plying Ants : 



I saw a prodigious swarm of these ants flying about the 

 top of some tall elm trees close by my house : some were 

 continually dropping to the ground as if from the trees, and 

 others rising up from the ground : many of them were joined 

 together in copulation : and I imagine their life is but short; 

 for as soon as produced from the egg by the heat of the sun, 

 they propagate their species, and soon after perish. They 

 were black, somewhat like the small black ant, and had four 

 wings. I saw, also, at another place, a large sort, which 

 were yellowish. On the 8th of September, 1785, I again 

 observed the same circumstance of a vast number of these 

 insects flying near the tops of the elms, and dropping to the 

 ground. 



On the 2nd of March, 1777, 1 saw great numbers of ants 

 come out of the ground. MARKWICK. 



G-LOW-WOKMS. By observing two glow-worms, which 

 were brought from the field to the bank in the garden, 

 it appeared to us that these little creatures put out their 

 lamps between eleven and twelve, and shine no more for the 

 rest of the night. 



Male glow-worms, attracted by the light of the candles, 

 come into the parlour. WHITE. 



EARTH-WORMS, Earth-worms make their casts most in 

 mild weather, about March and April ; they do not lie torpid 

 in winter, but come forth when there is no frost ; they 

 travel about in rainy nights, as appears from their sinuous 

 tracks on the soft muddy soil, perhaps in search of food. 



When earth-worms lie out a-nights on the turf, though 

 they extend their bodies a great way, they do not quite leave 

 their holes, but keep the ends of their tails fixed therein, so 

 that, on the least alarm, they can retire with precipitation 

 under the earth.* Whatever food falls within their reach 



* I have observed the same fact with respect to eels in Windermere lake, 

 Westmoreland. On a perfectly calm day, while in a boat, I have seen eels, 

 with the ends of their tails remaining in their holes, slide back into them, like 

 earth-worms, on being disturbed. ED. 



