THE ANT. 



S^3 



welldy mafs. Corn and feeds form ?.n acceptable food ; 

 but as they are alfo carnivorous, they devour frogs and 

 lizards when delivered over to them, or unable to defend 

 themfelves. 



Later naturalifts haveafferted, that all the food colled:- 

 ed by the ants during the day, is depolited in the com- 

 mon hall, and devoured every evening, or diftributed to 

 the young ; and that, in winter, they pafs into a torpid 

 and benumbed ftate, in which they are incapable of tak- 

 ing any food *. This, however, is contradicted by the 

 voice of all antiquity. Horace recommends its example 

 to the mifer, as being noted for liberally enjoying during 

 winter, whatever had been amaffed by its own induftry 

 in the mild feafon f . 



We confefs our incapacity to decide this matter ; but 

 having been unable, after all' our refearches, to find out 

 the ani's winter (lore, we are rather inclined to think that 

 in that feafon they either ufe none, or are fatisfied with 

 what they can occafionally procure. 



The eggs of thefe infeds are depofited pretty early in 

 the fpring ; and in order to provide the neceflary warmth 

 for their young, the old ants are feen carrying them out 

 to expofe them to the heat of the fun. The worms go 

 into chryfalids, and are metamorphofed in their own flcin. 

 When about to iflue forth into new life, it tears this^ 

 white covering, and comes forth a perfeft ant. The ants 

 3 U a copulate 



• Barbut, and many other naturalifts. 

 f SJcut 



Parvula, nam exemplo eft, magni formica laborls 



Ore trahit quodcunque pcteft, atque addit acervo 



Haud ignara, ac non incauta futuri. 



Quae, fimul inverfum contriftat aquarius annum 



Kon ufquam prorepit, &. illisutitur ante, 



Q^s^fi^is fapie;i5. Lib. I. Sat. i. !. 33. 



