OBSERVATIONS ON INSECTS AND VERMES 363 



TIPUL^E, OR EMPEDES. May. Millions of empedes or 

 tipulce come forth at the close of day, and swarm to such a 

 degree as to fill the air. At this juncture they sport and cop- 

 ulate ; as it grows more dark they retire. All day they hide 

 in the hedges. As they rise in a cloud they appear like 

 smoke. 



I do not remember to have seen such swarms, except in the 

 fens of the Isle of Ely. They appear most over grass grounds. 

 WHITE. 



APHIDES. On the i st August, about half an hour after three 

 in the afternoon, the people of Selborne were surprised by a 

 shower of aphides which fell in these parts. They who were 

 walking in 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 shift- 

 ing their quarters ; and might perhaps come from the great 

 hop-plantations 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 to Alton. WHITE. 



ANTS. August 23rd. Every ant-hill about this time is 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, lay a foundation for future colonies. 

 All the females at this time are pregnant; the males that escape 

 being eaten, wander away and die. 



October 2nd. 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 appearance 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 flies which 



