PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. ot. 
In the following account I shall chiefly confine myself to 
what Huber relates of the first of these species, and con- 
clude my extracts with his history ofan expedition of the 
latter to procure slaves. 
The rutfescent ants* do not leave their nests to go upon 
these expeditions, which last about ten weeks, till the 
males are ready to emerge into the perfect state: and it 
is very remarkable, that ifany individuals attempt to stray 
abroad earlier, they are detained by their slaves, who will 
not suffer them to proceed. A wonderful provision of 
the Creator to prevent the black colonies from being pil- 
laged when they contain only male and female brood, 
which would be their total destruction, without being any 
benefit to their assailants, to whom neuters alone are use- 
ful. 
Their time of sallying forth is from two in the afternoon 
till five, but more generally a little before five: the wea- 
ther, however, must be fine, and the thermometer must 
stand at above 36° in the shade. Previously to marching 
there is reason to think that they send out scouts to ex- 
plore the vicinity; upon whose return they emerge from 
their subterranean city, directing their course to the quar- 
ter from which the scouts came. They have various pre- 
paratory signals, such as pushing each other with the man- 
dibles or forehead, or playing with the antenne, the ob- 
after the vermicles and nymphs of other ants. If you place a parcel 
before or near their colonies, they will, with remarkable greediness, 
seize and carry them off.” 91, note *. Query—Do they this to de- 
vour them, or educate them? White made the same observation, 
Nat. Hist. ii. 278. 
4 This species forms a kind of link which connects Latreille’s two 
genera Formica and Myrmica, borrowing the abdominal squama from 
the former, and the sting from the latter. 
