84 



PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



and goers at that hour, however, was nothing compared with 

 the myriads that may always be seen on these nests during 

 the day. It so happened that our visit was paid while the 

 moon was near the full; so that whether this species is 

 equally vigilant and active in the absence of that luminary 

 yet remains uncertain. Perhaps this circumstance might 

 reconcile Huber's observation with ours, and confirm the 

 accuracy of Aristotle's statement before quoted. To the red 

 ant, indeed, it is perfectly indifferent whether the moon shine 

 or not; they are always busy, though not in such numbers 

 as during the day. It is probable that these creatures take 

 their repose at all hours indifferently ; for it cannot be sup- 

 posed that they are employed day and night without rest. 



I have related to you in this and former letters most of the 

 works and employments of ants, but as yet I have given you 

 no account of their roads and trackways. Don't be alarmed, 

 and imagine I am going to repeat to you the fable of the 

 ancients, that they wear a path in the stones 1 ; for I suppose 

 you will scarcely be brought to believe that, as Hannibal cut 

 a way for the passage of his army over the Alps by means of 

 vinegar, so the ants may with equal effect employ the formic 

 acid : but more species than one do really form roads which 

 lead from their formicaries into the adjoining country. 

 Gould, speaking of his jet-ant (F. fuliginosa), says that they 

 make several main track-ways (streets he calls them), with 

 smaller paths striking off from them, extending sometimes 

 to the distance of forty feet from their nest, and leading 

 to those spots in which they collect their provisions ; that 

 upon these roads they always travel, and are very careful to 

 remove from them bits of sticks, straw, or any thing that 

 may impede their progress ; nay, that they even keep low 

 the herbs and grass which grow in them, by constantly biting 

 them off 2 , so that they may be said to mow their walks. 

 But the best constructors of roads are the hill-ants (F. rufa). 

 Of these De Geer says, " When you keep yourself still, 

 without making any noise, in the woods peopled with these 

 ants, you may hear them very distinctly walking over the 



> Plin. Hist. Nat. lxi. c. 29. 



2 Gould, 87. 



