104 LETTERS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 
When some species of ants (chiefly the great 
hill-ant) find their habitation incommodious, they 
often emigrate, and the first step is to raise re- 
cruits ; and this is done in a manner very like 
that pursued by our own army. They eagerly 
accost their fellow citizens, caress them with their 
antennae, and evidently propose the journey to 
them. If they seem disposed to go, the recruit- 
ing officer carries off his recruit, who, hanging 
by his mandibles, is coiled up spirally under his 
neck. Sometimes, however, they take them by 
surprise, and drag them away, as in our impress 
service for the navy. When arrived at the right 
place, the recruit is dropped and becomes a re- 
cruiter in his turn j and thus they proceed till 
the city is established: the old nest goes on as 
usual. They work in the night as well as the 
day, though not in such great numbers, as they 
are fond of warmth. They make good roads 
and paths, in which they always travel. Iluber 
says that the roads of the hill-ants are sometimes 
a hundred feet in length, and several inches 
wide, and that they are hollowed out by their 
labour. 
The perseverance of ants on one occasion led 
to very important results, which affected a large 
portion of the world; for the celebrated con- 
