FORMICID^ — A NTS. 103 



which her neighbors believed to be, a smart paroxysm of 

 gout. Early in February, 1709, the inflammation and pain 

 entirely ceased, but the swelling continued, and rather in- 

 creased. The joint of the knee, from disuse, became per- 

 fectly stiff, and, owing to the particular form and size of 

 her breasts, no relief could be gained by the use of crutches. 

 However, toward the end of May, the Ants became so 

 strangely troublesome to her, that she was sometimes obliged 

 to avail herself of the help of travelers to assist her in 

 changing her station. Still, however, they followed her, and 

 seemed entirely attracted by her now useless knee. She 

 was at first considerably annoyed by these little torments, 

 but, in a few days, became not only reconciled to their 

 intrusion, but was desirous of having her chair placed 

 where she imagined them most to abound, even giving them 

 freer access to her knee by turning down her stocking; for, 

 she said, "the cold numbness she suffered just around the 

 patella was eased and relieved by their bite ; and that it was 

 even pleasurable;" and, strange to say, these insects bit her 

 nowhere else. The skin at first was pale and sallow, but 

 began now to assume a lively red color ; a clear and subtile 

 liquid oozed from every puncture the Ants had left; the 

 swelling and stiffness of the joint gradually abated ; and, 

 on the 25th of July, she walked home with the help of a 

 stick, and before winter perfectly recovered the use of her 

 limb.i 



Says Plutarch, as translated by Holland: "The bear find- 

 ing herself upon fulness given to loth and distaste for food, 

 she goes to find out Ants' nests, where she sits her down, 

 lining out her tongue, which is glib and soft with a kind of 

 sweet and slimy humour, until it be full of Ants and their 

 egges, then draweth it she in again, swalloweth them down, 

 and thereby cureth her lothing stomack.'" 



Also, in the Treasurie of Avncient and Moderne Times, 

 we find: "The Bear, being poysoned by the Hearbe named 

 Mandragoras, or Mandrake, doth purge his bodie by the 

 eating of Ants or Pismires."^ 



M. Huber, initiated in the mysteries of the life of these 



1 Gent. Mag., Pt. II. Ixxiii. 704-5, and Kirby's Wond. Mmeitm, i. 

 353-5. 



2 Land and Water Creatures Compared, Holl. Trans., p. 703. 



3 B. 7, c. XV. p. 604. Prmted 1013. 



