324 The Microscope. 



can be conceived, for it is found to contain a number of lenses, or 

 eyes, and, like the spider, it cannot move its head: the trunk 

 consists of two parts, sheathed in the mouth. It deposits its 

 eggs in any kind of flesh; these are generally called flyblows, 

 but if examined, will be found perfect eggs: from the egg pro- 

 ceed minute worms, or maggots, which in a few days become flies. 

 The Snail. The eyes of the snail are placed upon its horns, 

 in appearance like two black spots; the mouth resembles a hare's 

 and the heart may be seen beating under the neck by dissecting 

 it. It lays its eggs with great care in the earth and comes forth 

 with the shell perfect. By confining it under a flower pot, you 

 will most likely find some of its eggs in a few days, about the size 

 of a pea, and of a beautiful, regular form. 



The Ant. The ant is well worthy of notice: it is a creature 

 of a very singular habit and structure; its head large, with pearled 

 eyes; its mouth opens wide, which enables it to carry bodies 

 much larger than itself; the head, body, and hind part, are held to- 

 gether with a very fine ligament; the tail is armed wiih a sting, 

 and the eyes are covered with hair. The opening of an ant hill 

 throws the whole community into confusion, some carrying pieces 

 of sticks, and others their young in the aurelia state. Ant's eggs 

 are about the size of a grain of sand, and produce maggots, which 

 spin themselves coverings, and in a certain time become ants. 

 The ant's afl^ection for its young is so strong, that, when danger 

 is near, it will run away with them, and sooner die than leave 

 them. The following account of these insects is taken from Ba- 

 ker's Employment for the microscope: ' Every nest appears to 

 have a straight hole leading to the centre; then another sloping 

 off to the magazine, where the grain they collect is stored up; the 

 corn, being under ground, would grow, did they not use the pre- 

 caution to bite out the germ, or bud, before they lay it up, — this 

 they constantly do, for, if examined, none will be found; it would 

 likewise be liable to rot, but this they remedy in the following 

 manner: — they gather small particles of dry earth, and place them 

 in the sun, every one bringing a particle, and in this manner a 

 vast number is accumulated round the hole: their corn, when it 

 is properly dry, is laid up in this earth underground. The author 

 of this account found a nest of ants in a box of earth, standing out 

 of a window, two stories high; some corn lay at the bottom of the 

 house, which obliged them to come down for it to supply them- 

 selves with food; they regularly came down from the top of the 

 house to the bottom, and never went up without something in their 

 mouths: some even travelled to the farthest part of the garden, 

 and brought a load from theiTce. By frequent observations, he 



