124 ' NATURAL HISTORY. . 
From fuch a formation, this animal feems bolder, and more actives 
for its fize, than any other of the infed tribe, and fears not to attack 
‘acreature, often above ten times its own. magnitude. 
As foon as the winter is palt, in the firft fine day in.April, the ant*) 
hill, that hefore feemed a defert, now {warms with new life, and my- 
riads of thefe infects are feen jult awaked from their annual lethargy: 
and preparing for the pleafures-and fatigues of the feafon. For the 
firft day they never offer to leave the hill, which may be confidered a 
their citadel, but run over every part of it, as if to examine its prefent 
fituation, to obferve what injuries it has fuftained during the rigours 0 
winter*, while they flept, and to mediate and fettle the labours of the 
day enfuing. Ws 
At the firlt difplay of their forces, none but the winglefs tribe apr 
pears, while thofe furnifhed with wings remain at the bottom. Theil? 
are the working ants, that firft appear, and that are always deftitute 
of wings; the males and females, that are furnifhed with four largé 
wings each, are more flow in making their appearance. on 
Thus, like bees, they are divided into males, females, and theneu* _ 
tral or the working tribe. Thefe are all eafily diftinguifhed from each 
other ; the females are much larger than the males ; the:working ant? | 
are the fmalleft of all. «Che two former-have wings 5 which, however 
they fometimes are divefted of ;: the latter never have any, and -upom 
them are devolved all the labours that tend to the welfare of the com? | 
munity. The female, allo may be diftinguilbed; bys the zcolour and 
firucture of her brea{t, which is a litthe more-brown than that of thé 
common ant, and a little bigger than that of the malec> is 
in eight or ten days after their firft appearance, ther labours. of. thé 
hill are in fome forwardnefs; the males and females. are:{feen mixed 
with the working multitude, and purfued or purfuing each other: Thef 
feem no way to partake in the common drudgeries of the iftate; the — 
mates purfue the females with great affidnity and in a manner force them 
tocompliance. 'Phey remain coupled for fome time, while the males thus 
united, fuffer themfelves to be drawn. along by the will of their partner 
~ In the mean time, the working body of the {tate takes no part 
their pleafures, they are feen diligently going from the ant-hill, 4 
purfuit of food for themfelvyes and aflociaies, and of proper materials 
for giving a comfortable retreat to their young, or fafety to their ba 
bitation. In the fields of England, ant-hills are formed-with: but Li 
tle apparent regularity. In the more foutheren provinces of Europ® 
they are conftruéted with wonderful contrivance, and offer a fight 
highly worthy a naturalift’s curiofity.. Thefe are generally formed ™ 
the neighbourhood of fome large tree and a flream of water. ‘Lhe one 
is contidered by the animals, as the proper place for getting foods: 
the other for fupplying them with moiflure, which they cannot we 
difpenfe with. The fhape of the ant-hill, is that of a fugar loaf, ab 
three feet high, compofed of various fubitances ; leaves, bits of woo 
fand, earth, bits of gum, and grains of corn. Thefe are all united: J 
a compact body, perforated with galleries down to the bottem, #2 
winding ways within the body of the ftru@ure. From this retreat, 
the water, as well as to the tree, in diferent dire@tions, there are mast 
paths worn by conftant aflidnity, and along thefe the bufy info 
_ t Memoires pour fervir a'l Hliftorie des infeétes par Charles de Geer. 
