THE ANT. 137 



table as the animal kind. Small insects they will 

 kill and devour ; sweets of all kinds they are par- 

 ticularly fond of. They seldom, however, think 

 of their community, till they themselves are first 

 satiated. Having found a juicy fruit, they swal- 

 low what they can, and then, tearing it in pieces, 

 carry home their load. If they meet with an in- 

 sect above their match, several of them will fall 

 upon it at once, and having mangled it, each will 

 carry off a part of the spoil. If they meet in 

 their excursions any thing that is too heavy for 

 one to bear, and yet which they are unable to 

 divide, several of them will endeavour to force it 

 along, some dragging and others pushing. If 

 any one of them happens to make a^lucky dis- 

 covery, it will immediately give advice to others, 

 and then at once the whole republic will put 

 themselves in motion. If in these struggles one 

 of them happens to be killed, some kind survivor 

 will carry him off to a great distance, to prevent 

 the obstructions his body may give to the general 

 spirit of industry. 



But while they are thus employed in support- 

 ing the state, in feeding abroad, and carrying in 

 provisions to those that continue at home, they 

 are not unmindful of posterity. After a few days 

 of fine weather, the female ants begin to lay their 

 eggs, and those are as assiduously watched and 

 protected by the working ants, who take upon 

 themselves to supply whatever is wanting to the 

 nascent animal's convenience or necessity. They 

 are carried, as soon as laid, to the safest situation, 

 at the bottom of -their hill, where they are care- 



