ANT 
providing proper materials to afFord a comfortable 
retreat for the young, and add to the fecurity of 
the whole commonwealth. 
In England, Ant-hills appear formed and ar- 
ranged with very little regard to order or regula- 
rity ; but, in the more fouthern provinces of Eu- 
rope, they are conftru£ted with amazing ingenuity, 
and leem replete with contrivance and fagacity. 
rhey are generally formed in the vicinity offome 
large tree, on the banks of a pleafant ftream ; the 
former for the purpofe of fecuring food, and the 
latter for fupplying them with that abundant moi- 
fture which is requifite for the ufe of thefe animals. 
The fhape of the Ant-hill is that of a fugar-loaf ; 
being about three feet high, and compofed of 
leaves, bits of wood, fand, earth, gum, and grains 
of corn. Thefe are all united into a compaft 
body, perforated with galleries down to the bot- 
tom, and having a variety of meandering ways in 
different parts of the ftrufture. From this habi- 
tation to the water, as well as to the tree, there 
are many paths worn by conftant affiduity, along 
which the fedulous infefts are feen continually paf- 
fing and repafling ; fo that, from the commence- 
ment of the warm feafon, they are conftantly em- 
ployed till the unpropitious weather again fufpends 
their exertions, and terminates their annual induftry. 
The working Ants are not only employed in 
fuftaining the idlers at home, but in providing fuf- 
ficient food for themfelves. They fubfift on va- 
rious provifions, both of the animal and vegetable 
kinds; killing and devouring all fuch infefts as 
are of inferior ftrength, and feeming remarka- 
bly fond of ripe fruits, and every fpecies of fweet. 
Having met with any fruit, or other large fub- 
ftance, they devour what they can; and, tear- 
ing the reft in pieces, load themfelves with the 
fpoil. When they meet with an infefl which they 
are fingly incapable of maftering, feveral of diern 
attack it at once; and, lacerating it's members, 
each Ant loads itfelf with a part of the booty : and 
where they happen, in their excurfions, to encoun- 
ter any thing too weighty for one to fupport, and 
which they cannot eafily divide, feveral of them 
afiift in forcing it along; fome dragging, and others 
fhoving. When a fingle Ant chances to make a 
fortunate difcovery, it immediately communicates 
the information to others, and the whole republic 
foon appear in motion. But while they are tlius 
bufied in feeding abroad, and carrying in provi- 
fions for the ufe of thofe which continue inactive 
at home, they are by no means unmindful of pofte- 
rity. The female Ants foon begin to lay their eggs, 
which are immediately carried to the fafeft fitu- 
ation, at the bottom of the hill, where they are af- 
fiduoufly defended from every violence by the la- 
bouring tribe. Thole white fubftances, however, 
which are found fo plentifully in every Ant-hill, are 
not the newly-depofited eggs of the Ant, as many 
have erroneoufly fuppofed; on the contrary, the 
real egg of this animal is fo very minute, that 
it is hardly difcernible when even laid on a black 
ground. In faft, thofe little white bodies vulgarly 
called Ant-eggs are the young animals in their 
maggot ftate, when endued with life, and long 
fmce liberated; being often involved in cones 
which they have fpun round themfelves like filk- 
worms. The real egg, when laid, being viewed 
through a microfcope, appears fmooth, polilhed, 
and fnining; while the maggot is compofed of 
twelve rings, and is in general very confiderably 
larger than the full-grov/n Ant itfelf. 
' ANT 
. It is impoflible to exprefs the fond attachment 
which the labouring Ants fhew to the rifing pro- 
geny. In cold weather they bear them in their 
mouths to the very depths of their retreat, that 
they may be lefs liable to the feverity of the feafon; 
and, when it happens to be a fine day, they re- 
move them with the fame tendernefs nearer the 
furface, that the warm beams of the fun may con- 
ti-ibute to accelerate their maturity. If a formi- 
dable enemy demolifties their v/hole habitation, 
crufhing them by thoufands in the ruin, thefe won- 
derful infe6ts, affectionately mindful of parental 
duties, make it their firft care to fave their off- 
fpring; and, on fuch occafions, they may be ob- 
ferved running wildly about, in a ftate of diffrac- 
tion, each loaded with a young one, not unfre- 
quently as large as itfelf. 
Swammerdam informs us, that he kept feveral 
working Ants in his clofet, together with their 
young, in a glafs filled with earth; and that he 
took pleafure in obferving how they dug deeper 
and deeper, to depofit their eggs, as the earth 
dried on the furface ; but, on pouring water over 
the mould, it was equally curious to fee with what 
care, affeftion, and diligence, they laboured to 
place their brood in fafety, by carrying them to 
the drieft parts. The fame author adds, that 
when water had been wanting for feveral days, and 
the earth was afterwards a little moiftened, they 
would immediately carry their young to have a 
ffiare, who leemed to fuck up the moifture with 
pleafure and avidity. 
When the young maggot has attained to it's 
full proportions, the breaft' infenfibly fwells^ it cafts 
it's fkin, and lofes all motion ; the feveral mem- 
bers which were before hidden then begin to 
make their appearance, and an aurelia is formed, 
which exhibits very diftinftly all the parts of the 
animal, though they are yet deftitute of motion, and 
wrapped up, as it were, in a flight covering. Hav- 
ing paffed through all it's metamorphofes, and ar- 
rived at it's proper maturity, it burfrs through the 
furrounding folds, to afllune the form it is in future 
to retain. This, however, is not folely effefted by 
the efforts of the rifing animal, the old ones very 
affiduoufly tearing with their teeth the covering 
which enwraps it; without which afliftance, the 
aurelia would be unable to emancipate itfelf, as an 
ingenious naturaiift has proved by repeated experi- 
ments. The old ones not only lend them their aid 
on this occafion, but actually know the precife time 
when their affiftance is proper to be applied : and 
this, indeed, is the more neceffary, as tlae young 
animal, if produced too foon, would infallibly pe- 
nih on being expofed to the cool air ; and, if too 
long detained in prifon, would as certainly be fuf- 
focated. 
The female having laid all her eggs, and the 
whole brood being thus produced, her labours, as 
well as thofe of the male, now ceale ; and her wings, 
which but a ffiort time before were fo adively em- 
ployed, begin to difappear. What becomies of her 
when thus divefted of one of her diftinguiffiing 
ornaments, is not perfectly known ; though ftie is 
ufually feen in the cells for fome weeks afterwards. 
The males, however,, having no longer any em- 
ployment at home, m.ake ufe of their wings to fly 
away, and never miore return. It is probable that, 
having performed their deftined office, they perifli 
with coid, or are devoured by the birds ; many of 
which are extrennely fond of this Ipecies of food. 
The labourers, in the mean time> having probably 
depofed 
