FORMICID^, OR ANTS. 167 



species are among the largest of the order, and their sting is very 

 severe. The Sand-burro wers excavate their nests, by means of 

 powerful brushes, with which their legs are furnished ; whilst 

 the Wood-burrowers use for this purpose their strong broad 

 mandibles, which are provided with tooth-like projections. 



694. The next family, that of FORMICID.E, is composed of 

 the well-known and singularly interesting tribes of Ants (the 

 White Ants, improperly so called, belonging however to the 

 preceding order) ; which are distinguished from all the Hymen- 

 optera previously described, by their habit of residing under- 

 ground in numerous societies, and by the existence of neuters 

 among them, by which class the labours of the community are 

 chiefly performed. The males and females, which constitute 

 but a small proportion of each community, are alone furnished 

 with wings ; the former are the smallest. The neuters are 

 somewhat smaller than the males, and for the most part 

 resemble the females in conformation ; but the thorax is 

 smaller, not having to give attachment to wings. The nests 

 of Ants are differently constructed in the different species, but 

 all are very curiously and regularly arranged ; some account of 

 them will be given hereafter. The males and females leave the 

 nest, as soon as they have acquired their wings; and go 

 forth together into the air. The males soon die, without 

 entering their former abode. Of the females some return, and 

 deposit their eggs in the original nest ; whilst others go to a 

 distance, and become the foundresses of new colonies : they, too, 

 lose their wings at this period, sometimes stripping them off 

 with their own feet, in other instances being deprived of them 

 by the neuters. These last not only construct the nest, but 

 most carefully tend the young grubs ; supplying them with 

 food, moving them on fine days to the outer surface of the 

 nest to give them heat, and carrying them back again at the 

 approach of night or bad weather, and defending them when 

 attacked by enemies. The winged Ants having all perished at 

 the commencement of the cold weather, the neuters only survive 

 the winter. Some of them are larger and rather differently 

 formed from the rest, and appear to be the soldiers of the com- 



