88 



yioiis substances ; leaves, bits of 'wood, sand, earth, 

 bits of gum, and grains of corn : these are al united 

 into a compact body, perforated with galleries down 

 to the bottom, and winding ways within the structure. 

 Fr^m this retreat to the water, as well as to the tree, 

 in different directions, there are many paths worn by 

 constant assiduity, and along these the busy insects 

 pass and repass continually, so that from Mayor the 

 beginning of June, they work continually till the bad 

 weather comes on. 



The chief employment of working ants is in finding 

 a sufticimcy ot food : they live upon various provi- 

 sions, as well of the vegetable as the animal kind. 

 Small insects they kill and devour; sweets of all kinds 

 they are particularly fond of. They seldom, however, 

 think of their community fill themselves are fust satiat- 

 ed. Having found a juicy fruit, they swallow what 

 they can, and then tearing it in pieces, carry home 

 their load. If they meet with an insect above their 

 match, seveial of them will fall upon it at once, and 

 having torn it to pieces, each will cany off a part of 

 the spoil. If they meet with any thing, that is too 

 heavy for one to bear, and yet which they are unable 

 to divide, several of them endeavour to force it along, 

 some dragging, others pushing. If any one of them 

 makes a lueky discovery, it immediately gives advice 

 to others, and then at once the whole republic put 

 themselves in motion. If in these struggles one of* 

 them happens to be killed, some survivor carries him 

 off to a great distance, to prevent the obstructions his 

 body might give to the general spirit of industry. 



In autumn they prepare for the severity of the winter, 

 and bury their \\ heat as deep in the earth as they can. 

 It is now found that the grains of corn and other sub* 

 stances with which they furnibh their hill, are only 

 meant as fences to keep off the rigour oi the weather. 

 They pass f ;ur < r live months without taking any 

 nounshuu nf, and seem to be iU ad all that time. It 

 would be 10 no purpose therefore for ants to lay up 

 coin tor the wiutcr; since they lie that time without 



