THE ANT. 
5 2 3 
weildy mafs. Corn and feeds form an acceptable food ; 
but as they are alfo carnivorous, they devour frogs and 
lizards when delivered over to them, or unable to defend 
themfelves. 
Later naturalifls have afferied, that all the food colleit- 
ed by the ants during the day, is depofited in the com- 
mon hall, and devoured every evening, or diftributed to 
the young ; and that, in winter, they pafs into a torpid 
and benumbed Hate, in which they are incapable of tak- 
ing any food *. This, however, is contradicted by the 
voice of all antiquity. Horace recommends its example 
to the mifcr, as being noted for liberally enjoying during 
winter, whatever had been amaffed by its own induftry 
in the mild feafon f . 
We confefs our incapacity to decide this matter ; but 
having been unable, after all our refearches, to find out 
the ant’s winter fiore, we are rather inclined to think that 
in that feafon they either ufe none, or are fatisfied with 
tvhat they can occafionally procure. 
The eggs of thefe i ufe its are depofited pretty early in 
the fpring ; and in order to provide the necefiary warmth 
for their young, the old ants ate feen carrying them out 
to expofe them to the heat of the fuu. The worms go 
into chryfalids, and are metamorphofed in their own ikin. 
Wl'.en about to iffue forth into new life, it tears this 
white covering, and comes forth a perfect ant. Hie ants 
2 U a copulate 
* Barbut, and many other naturalifts. 
•j- Sicut 
Parvula, nam exemplo eft, magni for mica labpris 
Ore trahit- quodcunque pcteft, atque addit acervo 
Haud ignara ; ac non incauta i'uturi. 
Qua, fimnl inverfum contriftat aquarius annum 
Non ufquam prorepit, & illis utitur ante, 
Quaifitis fapiens. Lib, I. Sat. i. i. 33, 
