FORMICA. 71 



their undertaking, but prove, by their constant 

 and active exertions, how few difficulties there 

 are which may not ultimately be overcome. 

 When one of these little creatures has tried its 

 utmost efforts to drag towards the magazine a 

 mass of provision too large for its strength, an- 

 other will come to its assistance, or more if ne- 

 cessary, till at length by the division of labour 

 the task is accomplished. 



It is commonly in the month of May or June, 

 and sometimes even earlier, that the transfor- 

 mation of the larva to the chrysalis takes place, 

 and in July the perfect insect appears. This 

 appearance, however, cannot take place with- 

 out the assistance of the working ants, who 

 gnaw a sufficient opening in the cone for the 

 passage of the insect, without which the help- 

 less chrysalis would infallibly perish. An in- 

 stance of the unusual early appearance of the 

 perfect insect, and the bustle attending the cir- 

 cumstance, is thus mentioned by Degeer. 



In the beginning of the month of May, and 

 in the middle of a fine day when the sun was 



