NATURAL HISTORY. a 
ad, as they probably live thé whole year, they fubmit tliemfelves to 
Tegulations entirely unknown among the ants of Europe. 
Thofe of Africa are of three kinds, the red, the green and the black 5 
the latter are above an inch long, and in every refpect a molt formi- 
able infe@. heir fting produces extreme pain, and their depreda~ 
ions are fometimes extremely deftructive. They build an ant-hill of a, 
Very great fize, from fix to twelve feet high ; itis made of vilcougelayy 
nd tapers into a pyramidal form. ‘This habitation is conftructed with 
reat artifice, and the cells are fo numerous and even, that a honey~ 
Somb fcarce exceeds them in number and regularity. Z 
_ The inhabitants of an edifice feem to be under a very ftri& regula» 
ton. At the flighteft warning they will fally out upon whatever dif> 
turbs them, and if they have time to: arreft their enemy, he is fiire to 
nd no mercy. Sheep, hens, and even rats are often deftroyed by 
thefe mercilefs infeéts, and their flefh devoured tothe bone. No anae 
tomift in the world can ftrip a fkeleton fo cleanly as they, and no ani» 
™mal, how ftrong foever, wheii they have once feized upon it, has power 
%o refift them. 
It often happens that thefe infedts quit tlieir retreat in a body, and 
%0 in queft of adventures. “ During my ftay,” fays Smith, “ at Cape 
Corfe Caftle, a body of thefe ants came to pay us a vifit in our fortifi+ 
®ation. It was about day-break when the advanced guard of this fa« 
Mithed crew entered the chapel, where fome negroe fervants were afleep 
¥pon the floor. The men were quickly alarmed at the invafion of this. 
Unexpected army, and prepared, as well as they could, for a defences 
While the foremoft battalion of infeéts had already taken poffeflion of 
the place, the rear guard. was more than a quarter of a mile diftant» 
the whole ground feemed alive, and crawling with unceafing defiruc- 
tion. After deliberating a few moments upon what was to be dones, 
it was refolved to lay a large train of gun powder along the path they 
ad taken, by this means millions were blown to pieces, and the rear 
Suard perceiving the deftruction of their leaders, thought proper in- 
antly to return, and make back to their original habitation.’” ; 
The order which thefe ants obferve, feems very extraordinary ; when- 
*ver they fally forth, fifty or fixty larger than the reft are feen to head 
‘he band, and condué them to their deftined prey. If they have a 
fixed {pot where their prey continues to refort, they form a vaulted 
Rallery, which is fometimes a quarter of a mile in length, and yet». 
they hollow it out in the {pace of ten or twelve hours.. 
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a 
Cc H A P. Dale 
‘OF FLYING INSECTS WITH TWO WINGS: . 
HESE are commonly known by the name of Flies, and have tranf- 
‘ parent wings like gauze, and on which is no duft, as upon thofe 
f Butterflies ; neither have they any cafes to their wings, which diftin- 
® thes them from thofe of the Beetle kind. AM Flies have a diltin@ 
| heady 
