140 HISTORY OF 



When the female has done laying, and the 

 whole brood is thus produced, her labours, as well 

 as that of the male, become unnecessary, and her 

 wings, which she had but a short time before so 

 actively employed, drop off. What becomes of 

 her when thus divested of her ornaments, is not 

 well known, for she is seen in the cells for some 

 weeks after. The males, on the other hand, hav- 

 ing no longer any occupation at home, make use 

 of those wings with which they have been fur- 

 nished by nature, and fly away never to return, 

 or to be heard of more. It is probable they perish 

 with the cold, or are devoured by the birds, which 

 are particularly fond of this petty prey. 



In the mean time, the working ants having 

 probably deposed their queens, and being desert- 

 ed by the males, that served but to clog the com- 

 munity, prepare for the severity of the winter, 

 and bury their retreats as deep in the earth as 

 they conveniently can. It is now found that the 

 grains of corn, and other substances with which 

 they furnish their hill, are only meant as fences to 

 keep off the rigours of the weather, not as provi- 

 sions to support them during its continuance. It 

 is found generally to obtain, that every insect that 

 lives a year after it is come to its full growth, is 

 obliged to pass four or five months without taking 

 any nourishment, and will seem to be dead all 

 that time. It would be to no purpose, therefore, 

 for ants to lay up corn for the winter, since they 

 lie that time without motion, heaped upon each 

 other, and are so far from eating, that they are 

 utterly unable to stir. Thus what authors have 



