Formica. HYMENOPTERA. 201 



bent, and the tarfi compofed of five articu- 

 lations. 



The Ants live in focieties compofed of males* 

 females, and neuters •, the males are much 

 fmaller than the females and neuters, but are 

 difiinguifnable from the largenefs of their eyes, 

 which are not fo well proportioned to the fize 

 of their body as in the other fexes. 



No fooner is the work of generation per- 

 formed, than the male and female ants perifh, as 

 well as moft of the neuters ; fome of thefe, how- 

 ever, outlive the winter, but pafs that feafon in 

 their habitation, without movement, or any 

 figns of life. How ufelefs then would be 

 that prudence and affiduity in laying up a (lock 

 of provifions for the winter, attributed, for fo 

 many ages, to the Ant ? 



The female Ant feems to take no farther 

 care of the young, after having depofited her 

 eggs ; the important office of nourifhing the 

 larvae, and preferving the chryfalids, is entirely 

 left to the neuters, whofe affection for a progeny 

 neither begot nor brought forth by them, can 

 never be fufficiently wondered at ; they labour 

 jnceffantly to fupply the larvse with provifions, 



and 



