THE BEETLE. 
341 
“During my stay,” says Smith, “at Cape Corfe Castle, 
a body of°these anls came to pay us a visit in our fortifica- 
tion. It was about day-break when the advanced guard of 
this famished crew entered the chapel, where some negro 
servants were asleep upon the door. The men were quickly 
alarmed at the invasion of this unexpected army, and pre- 
pared, as well as they could, for a defence. When the 
foremost battalion of insects had already taken possession 
of the place, the rear-guard was more than a quarter of a 
mile distant. The whole ground seemed alive, and crawl- 
ing with unceasing destruction. After deliberating a lew 
moments upon what was to be done, it was resolved to lay 
a large train of gunpowder along the path they had taken : 
by this means millions were blown to pieces, and the rear- 
guard perceiving the destruction of their leaders, thought 
proper instantly to return, and make back to their original 
habitation.” 
The order which these ants observe, seems very extraordi- 
nary ; whenever they sally forth, (ifty or sixty larger than the 
rest are seen to head the band, and conduct them to their des- 
tined prey. If they have a Hxed spot where their prey conti- 
nues to resort, they then form a vaulted gallery, which is 
sometimes a quarter of a mile in length ; and yet they will 
hollow it out in the space of ten or twelve hours. 
Of the Beetle there are various kinds; all, however, con- 
curring in one common formation of having cases to their 
winds'* which are the more necessary to those insects, as 
they 5 often live under the surface of the earth, in holes which 
they dig out by their own industry. These cases prevent 
the various injuries their real wings might sustain, by 
rubbinw or crushing against the sides ot their abode. 1 hese, 
thomdf they do not assist in flight, yet keep the internal 
wings clean and even, and produce a loud buzzing noise, 
when the animal rises in the air, _ 
If we examine the formation of all animals ot the beetle 
kind we shall find, as in shell-fish, that their bones are 
placed externally, and their muscles within. These muscles 
are formed very much like those of quadrupeds, and are 
endued with such surprising strength, that, bulk for bulk, 
they are a thousand times stronger that those of a man. The 
strength of these muscles is of use in digging the animal's 
subterraneous abode, where it is most usually hatched, and 
to which it most frequently returns, even after it becomes a 
winged insect, capable of flying. 
Besides the difference which results from the shape and 
