PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 321 
of their habitations, which have been already noticed: —but, without 
either of these, I have matter enough to fill the rest of this letter with in- 
teresting traits, while I endeayour to teach you their language, to develop 
their affections and passions, and to delineate their virtues,—while I show 
them«to you when engaged in war, and enable you to accompany them 
both in their military expeditions and in their emigrations, —while I make 
you a witness of their indefatigable industry and incessant labours, or invite 
you to be present, during their hours of relaxation, at their sports and 
amusements. 
That ants, though they are mute animals, have the means of communi- 
cating to each other information of various occurrences, and use a kind of 
Janguage which is mutually understood, will appear evident from the 
following facts. 
If those at the surface of a nest are alarmed, it is wonderful in how short 
atime the alarm spreads through the whole nest. It runs from quarter to 
quarter ; the greatest inquietude seems to possess the community ; and they 
carry with all possible despatch their treasures, the larvee and pup, down 
to the lowest apartments. Amongst those species of ants that do not go 
much from home, sentinels seem to be stationed at the avenues of their 
city. Disturbing once the little heaps of earth thrown up at the entrances 
into the nest of 7. flava, which is of this description, 1 was struck by ob- 
serving a single ant immediately come out, as if to see what was the matter, 
and this three separate times. 
The F, herculanea inhabits the trunks of hollow trees on the Continent 
(for it has not yet been found in England), upon which they are often 
passing to and fro. M. Huber observed, that when he disturbed those 
that were at the greatest distance from the rest, they ran towards them, 
and, striking their head against them, communicated their cause of fear or 
anger,—that these, in their turn, conveyed in the same way the intelligence 
to others, till the whole colony was in a ferment, those neuters which 
were within the tree running out in crowds to join their companions in 
the defence of their habitation. ‘The same signals that excited the courage 
of the neuters produced fear in the males and females, which, as soon as 
the news of the danger was thus communicated to them, retreated into the 
tree as to an asylum. 
The legs of one of this gentleman’s artificial formicaries were plunged 
into pans of water, to prevent the escape of the ants ;—this proved a 
source of great enjoyment to these little beings, for they are a very thirsty 
race, and lap water like dogs.! One day, when he observed many of them 
tippling very merrily, he was so cruel as to disturb them, which sent most 
of the ants in a fright to the nest; but some more thirsty than the rest 
continued their potations. Upon this, one of those that had retreated re- 
turns to inform his thoughtless companions of their danger ; one he pushes 
with his jaws ; another he strikes first upon the belly, and then upon the 
breast ; and so obliges three of them to leave off their carousing, and march 
homewards ; but the fourth, more resolute to drink it out, is not to be 
discomfited, and pays not the least regard to the kind blows with which 
18 compeer, solicitous for his safety, repeatedly belabours him, At length, 
determined ta have his way, he seizes him by one of his hind-legs, and 
gives him a violent pull: — upon this, leaving his liquor, the loiterer turns 
1 Gould, 92, De Geer, ii. 1067, Huber, 182, 
Y 
