THE GEEAT BLACK ANT. 311 



ing proboscis, and its pretty, spotted wings, placed 

 at right angles with its body, distinguish our bom- 

 bylius from every other creature. It appears sin- 

 gularly cautious of settling on the ground. After 

 long hovering over and surveying some open spot, 

 with due deliberation and the utmost gentleness it 

 commits its long, delicate feet to the earth ; but on 

 the approach of any winged insect, or on the least 

 alarm, is away again to combat or escape. Asso- 

 ciates it has none : the approach even of its own 

 race excites its ire, and, darting at them with the 

 celerity of thought, it drives them from its haunts. 

 When a captive, it becomes tame and subdued, and 

 loses all its characteristic bustling and activity, the 

 inspiration of freedom. 



The great black ant (formica fuliginosa) is com- 

 monly found in all little copses, animating by its 

 numbers those large heaps of vegetable fragments, 

 which it collects and is constantly increasing with 

 unwearied industry and perseverance as a recep- 

 tacle for its eggs. The game-fowl, the woodpecker, 

 the wryneck, and all the birds that feed upon the 

 little red ant, and soon depopulate the hillocks 

 which they select, do not seem equally to annoy 

 this larger species. These systematic creatures ap- 

 pear always to travel from and return to their nests 

 in direct lines, from which no trifling obstacle will 

 divert them ; and any interruption on this public 

 highway they resent, menacing the intruder with 



