THE ANT. 



Of the larvae Ants' eggs. 



out. It ran about the bottom of the pot, but in 

 vain : it last it found, after many attempts, the 

 way to the ceiling, by going along the string. 

 After it was come there, it ran to the wall, and 

 from thence to the ground. It had scarcely 

 been away half an hour when a great swarm of 

 ants came out, got up to the ceiling, and crept 

 along the string into the pot, and began to eat 

 again. This they continued till the treacle was 

 all eaten; in the mean time one swarm running 

 down the string, and the other up. 



Ants generally lay up a considerable quantity 

 of different kinds of grain; but, to prevent this 

 from taking root from the moisture of their cells, 

 they instinctively bite off that end from which 

 the blade is produced. 



The larvae (a small kind of maggots without 

 legs) come from their eggs, which soon trans- 

 form into white chrysalids. The latter are ge- 

 nerally called ants' eggs, and are frequently used 

 for the feeding of young pheasants, partridges, 

 and nightingales. When a nest is disturbed, 

 the ants, with great care, collect all the young 

 that are unhurt, and form a nest for them again. 

 In their confusion they carry off the eggs and 

 larvae indiscriminately; but, as soon as quietness 

 is restored among them, these are carefully sepa- 

 rated, and each kind lodged in its own appro- 

 priate place. 



Every morning during the warm season of the 

 year they bring up the maggots nearly to the 



