5% PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS'. 



Sometimes the swarms of a whole district unite their 

 infinite myriads, and, seen at a distance, produce an 

 effect resembling the flashing of an aurora borealis. 

 Rising with incredible velocity in distinct columns, they 

 soar above the clouds. Each column looks like a kind 

 of slender net- work, and has a tremulous undulating mo- 

 tion, which has been observed to be produced by the 

 regular alternate rising and falling just alluded to. The 

 noise emitted by myriads and myriads of these creatures 

 does not exceed the hum of a single wasp. The slightest 

 zephyr disperses them ; and if in their progress they 

 chance to be over your head, if you walk slowly on, they 

 will accompany you, and regulate their motions by yours. 

 The females continue sailing majestically in the centre of 

 these numberless males, who are all candidates for their 

 favour, each till some fortunate lover darts upon her, 

 and, as the Roman youth did the Sabine virgins, drags 

 his bride from the sportive crowd, and the nuptials are 

 consummated in mid-air; though sometimes the union 

 takes place on the summit of plants, but rarely in the 

 nests a . After this dame de V amour is celebrated, the 

 males disappear, probably dying, or becoming, with 

 many of the females, the prey of birds or fish b ; for, since 

 they do not return to the nest, they cannot be destroyed, 

 as some have supposed, like the drone bees, by the neu- 

 ters. That many, both males and females, become the 

 prey of fish, I am enabled to assert from my own obser- 

 vation. In the beginning of August 1812, I was going 

 up the Orford river in Suffolk, in a row-boat, in the 

 evening, when my attention was caught by an infinite" 

 number of winged ants, both males and females, at which 



, a De Geer ii. 1104. b Gould, 99. 



