PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 63 



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this end is, they have all one soul. If I should say they 

 are here orjhere, I should do them wrong, for they are 

 every where ; under ground, where any hollow or loose 

 earth is ; amongst the roots of trees ; upon the bodies, 

 branches, leaves and fruit of all trees ; in all places with- 

 out the houses and within ; upon the sides, walls, win- 

 dows, and roofs without ; and on the floors, side walls, 

 ceilings, and windows within ; tables, cupboards, beds, 

 stools, all are covered with them, so that they are a kind 



of ubiquitaries. We sometimes kill a cockroach, and 



throw him on the ground ; and mark what they will do 

 with him : his body is bigger than a hundred of them, 

 and yet they will find the means to take hold of him, and 

 lift him up ; and having him above ground, away they 

 carry him, and some go by as ready assistants, if any be 

 weary ; and some are the officers that lead and show 

 the way to the hole into which he must pass ; and if the 

 vancouriers perceive that the body of the cockroach lies 

 across, and will not pass through the hole or arch 

 through which they mean to carry him, order is given, 

 and the body turned endwise, and this is done a foot be- 

 fore they come to the hole, and that without any stop or 

 stay ; and this is observable, that they never pull con- 

 trary ways. A table being cleared with great care, 

 by way of experiment, of all the ants that were upon it, 

 and some sugar being put upon it, some, after a circuitous 

 route, were observed to arrive at it, when again de- 

 parting without tasting the treasure, they hastened away 

 to inform their friends of their discovery, who upon this 

 came by myriads ; and when they are thickest upon 

 the table," says he, "clap a large book (or any thing 

 fit for that purpose) upon them, so hard as to kill all 



