72 LARGE RED AND BLACK ANTS. 



THE LARGE RED AND BLACK ANTS. 

 SEASON. In July. 



It is needless to describe the form of these in- 

 sects, which are merely winged ants or pismires, 

 except that their tails are more bottle-shaped at 

 this time. 



Natural. The wings of the red are light and 

 yellowish, the body yellowish brown, and the legs 

 light ginger. 



The artificial is made from the light yellow part 

 of a thrush's quill feather ; the legs by a small 

 ginger hackle, with the fibres taken off from one 

 side ; and the body from a yellowish herl near the 

 eye of a peacock's feather. We have known the 

 hackle and herl answer better without wings. 



Natural. The wings of the black ant are very 

 light and glossy ; the body and legs nearly inclining 

 to black. 



The artificial may be made as the other, or from 

 the light part of a starling's wing, for we know of 

 no feather that will exactly match it ; the body of 

 brown peacock's herl, with a brownish or almost 

 black hackle, or, as said of the other, the hackle and 

 herl alone. 



They appear, if the season be hot and the water 

 low, about the beginning of July, and are generally 

 seen from mid-day till three or four o'clock ; but, 

 unless well looked after, are not observed. In a 

 wet season, they are entirely lost. Towards the 



