[ 3S> ] 
Apology for himfeif. *— He fuggeds, that in warmer 
Regions they may not undergo the Chill they do with 
us ;and therefore may not pafs the Winter in a State 
ofNumbn-efs, — That, if this he the Cafe, a Store of 
Food mud be neceffary to them, which is not to our 
Northern Ants, which live, as it were^ entranced. 
He adds, that, upon the mod impartial Examination 
of Authors, the Opinion feems rather to be fup- 
ported by its Antiquity, than reduced to a clear De- 
monfiration. — He tells us, that, as upon the mod 
exaft and frequent Examination of numerous Settle- 
ments, in the Winter, he could never trace out any 
Refervoirs of Corn, or other Aliment; no, not in 
thofe of the Hill-Ants, which are the larged, and 
proportionably ftrong : So, to put this Matter beyond 
all reafonable Doubr, he had recourfe to Experi- 
ments; which, had the Suppofition been true, could 
not probably fail of fucceeding. At the Beginning of 
the Spring, he placed, in feveral Flower pots, and other 
Conveniencies, different Colonies of yellow fmall 
black Ants, &c. with their refpe&ive Queens, At- 
tendants, and Vermicles ; in which Pofition they 
continued Summer, Autumn, and Winter, and car- 
ried on their Operations as in other Settlements, 
nourifhed their Young, and brought them to Per- 
fection : From whence he concludes, that they would 
have laid up Provilions, had it been their Cuftom ; 
but, upon carefully examining feme of thefe Pots, 
he found no Appearance of Magazines of Corn, or 
any collected Food : And that, upon his having fre- 
quently obferved their Excurfions from, and Return 
to their Colonies, he could never find, that they 
ever return d with any Wheat, Corn, or any other 
A a a 2 Vegetable 
f 
