Penjyhaniay Philadelphia, 30^ 



and that moment it was all in flames : this 

 aftonifhed him fo much, that he was almoft 

 fpeechlefs ; upon which they could not help 

 laughing, and fo difcovered the whole arti- 

 fice. 



In feveral houfes of the town, a number 

 of little ^w/j- run about, living underground 

 and in holes in the wall. The length of 

 their bodies is one geometrical line. Their 

 colour is either black or dark red : they 

 have the cuftom of carrying ofFfweet things, 

 if they can come at them, in common with 

 the ants of other countries. Mr. Franklin 

 was much inclined to believe that thefe lit- 

 tle infe6ls could by fome means commu- 

 nicate their thoughts or defires to each 

 other, and he confirmed his opinion by fome 

 examples. When an ant finds fome fugar, 

 it runs immediately under ground to its 

 hole, where having flayed a little while, 

 a whole army comes out, unites and march- 

 es to the place where the fugar is, and 

 carries it off by pieces : or if an ant meets 

 with a dead fly, which it cannot carry 

 ' alone, it immediately haftens home, and 

 foon after fome more come out, creep to 

 the fly and carry it away. Some time ago 

 Mr. Franklin ^Mt a little earthen pot with 

 treacle into a clofet. A number of ants got 

 into the pot, and devoured the treacle very 

 U quietly. 



