or whitb ants 505 
joined together with gums. Into 
Sii 9 h carry the eggs produced by the queen, 
^^'ble obtain them from her. 
I, ‘■.‘•'Nisons are given by Mr. Smeathman for the belief 
^ garden for the 
■C ''s bef -1 ^ microscopical mushroom ■ and 
j. siapported by M. Konig, i„ his essay on 
C fa” “1^0 'h's is conjectured 
'i*7''fnl the young insects. But perhaps the most 
^ same time best authenticated, part oi 
^ lUeeg curious insects, is that which relates to 
t. » or mother of the community in her pregnant 
im 
VljcJ"P''®gnation, a very extraordinary change begins to 
V^'ly i person, or rather in her abdomen only. It 
*^“**^’ ‘'“'i length becomes of such an 
y* Dr exceed the bulk of the rest of her body 
S}\sorf She becomes 1000 times heavier than 
V “f t|,e exceeds 20,000 or 30.000 times the bulk of 
state 80,000 eggs (for they 
lv?''e P'’ot''e‘led in twenty-four hours. 
V'‘^ht ^ faken Ifoni her body by the attendants, 
ch whom are constantly in waiting in 
^hes 3‘^j'^ceiit galleries, and carried to 
VJi^'Sbt !■ sometimes four or five feet distant 
^iere, after they are hatched, the young 
provided with eveiy thing neeessary, until 
.il,'®bo„J^ Por themselves, and take their .share 
cuf^ Community. 
striking particulars are related of the 
^ii'^'''>stm '?”* ‘^“'i^'^'kted by this powerful community, 
from ' '■a'ker covered ways, diverging in all 
Cfr *he' and fading to every object of plun- 
the mischiefs they commit are 
CV^^rba] ' economy of nature, that they are proba- 
yv'''S de produced by them, in quick iy 
bv^'' other substances, which would 
f ^‘•‘‘Pous decay, serve only to encumber the 
tb Such is their alacrity and dispatch in 
\i I'ed *‘’fal destruction ot deserted towns is 
"’Onl? three years, and their space filled 
not the least vestige of a house remainibg. 
