of four or five insects, to the nest, where they are wrought and interwoven with the greatest dexterity by those that remain within.

The nests are often six or seven inches in diameter, and elevated to the height of four or five inches above the surface of the ground. When the covering of moss is taken up, an irregular comb presents itself, composed of an assemblage of oval bodies disposed one against the other. Sometimes there are two or three combs, placed on one another, but not united. These combs vary in size: they consist of several oblong or oval cells or coccoons, of a silky substance, fastened together, and spun by the larvæ when they are about to undergo their first change. These cells are of three dimensions, answering to the three sexes. The void spaces between the cells are filled with masses of brown paste, made of gross wax, or pollen much wrought, and honey. Besides the masses, they attach to every comb, particularly the uppermost, three or four cells of coarse wax, in the shape of goblets, open at the top; and these they fill with liquid and very sweet honey. The first step towards furnishing a nest is to make a mass of the brown paste, and one of these honey-pots. The masses of paste are intended for the food of the larvæ, and in them the eggs are deposited. They vary in number; from three to thirty being to be found in one mass, but not all in the same cavity.

The

The larvæ are similar to those of the Hive Bee, but their sides are marked by irregular transverse black spots. After they are hatched, they separate from each other, eating the paste that surrounds them. honey-pots may be intended to supply honey for the occasional moistening of the paste in making repairs, &c. The pupa in each cell is placed with its head downward; and the Bee, when it comes to life, makes its way out at the bottom of its coccoon.

The nests seldom contain more than fifty or sixty inhabitants; and both the males and females act in concert with the neuters, in fitting up or repairing their

habitations. The nests of the Carding Bees are exposed to various depredators; but field-mice and polecats are their most formidable enemies.

THE ORANGE-TAILED BEE*.

The nest constructed by this Bee is an edifice of elegant appearance, being of an oval form, and composed of bits of the larger mosses, closely and neatly compacted together. A small round hole or entrance is left on one side. These nests are about four inches in diameter on the exterior, and are generally formed on dry shady banks, in woods, lanes, or meadows. The food laid up for the larvæ, consists of a kind of honey of a brownish colour, disposed in somewhat irregular masses or heaps: for these Bees do not form any regular cells or combs, like some of the others.

OF THE ANTS IN GENERAL.

In the

All the species of Ants known in this country are gregarious; and, like the bees, consist of males, females, and neuters: the latter alone are the labourers. These build in the ground an oblong nest, in which there are various passages and apartments. formation of the nest every individual is occupied: some are employed in securing a firm and durable ground-work, by mixing the earth with a sort of glue produced in their bodies: others collect little bits of twigs to serve as rafters, placing them over their pas

DESCRIPTION. This is one of the largest of the British Bees; but it varies in size, being sometimes half an inch, and sometimes an inch in length. Its body is black or dark brown, and hairy; and the extremity of the abdomen of a bright orange colour. The wings are light brown.

SYNONYMS. Apis lapidaria. Linnæus.-Red-tailed Bee. Great Orange-tailed Garden Bee. Shaw's Nat. Mis.-L'Abeille lapidaire. Tigny.-L'Abeille des Pierres. Cuvier.

Bourdon des Pierres. Latreille.

sages, to support the covering: others again lay pieces across these, and place on them rushes, weeds, and dried grass. The latter they secure so firmly, as completely to turn off the water from their magazines.

From the eggs of these insects proceed the larvæ, a small kind of maggots without legs, which soon transform into white chrysalids. The latter are generally called Ants' eggs, and are frequently used for the feeding of young pheasants, partridges, and nightingales.

The males are much smaller than the females, and seldom frequent the common habitation. All the labour which the females undergo, is the laying of eggs; and the cold weather of winter always destroys them. The neuters, or labouring Ants, which alone are able to struggle through the winter, pass this season in a torpid state. The females and neuters are each armed

with stings.

We are told that a very grateful acid is to be obtained from Ants by distillation; and we have one instance of a person being fond of eating them alive. As Mr. Consett was walking with a young gentleman in a wood near Gottenburgh in Sweden, he observed him sit down on an ant-hill, and with great apparent pleasure devour these insects, first nipping off their heads and wings. The flavour, according to his account, was an acid somewhat resembling, though much more agreeable, than that of a lemon.

It is said that the Ants of tropical climates are never torpid; that they build their nests with a dexterity, lay up provisions, and submit to regulations, that are entirely unknown among those of Europe. They are, in Their stings every respect, a more formidable race. produce insupportable pain, and their depredations do infinite mischief. Sheep, hens, and even rats, by loitering too near their habitations, are often destroyed by them.

THE HORSE EMMET, OR GREAT HILL-ANT

It is chiefly near the old and decayed trunks of trees that the Hill-ants form their settlements. Their nest consists of a great number of apartments. In these they have their magazines, and bring forth and rear their offspring.

It is the peculiar habit of the Hill-ants to collect a vast quantity of pieces of dry sticks, chips, bits of straw, and other rubbish, which they carry to the surface of their colonies, and there place together in heaps, which sometimes become immensely large. This employment they renew every spring, and continue through the whole summer. It is not a little curious to observe from what distances they will bring, and with what dexterity they manage, sticks an inch or two in length.

A gentleman of Cambridge one day remarked an Ant dragging along what, with respect to its strength, might be denominated a piece of timber. Others were severally employed, each in its own way. Presently this little creature came to an ascent, where the weight of the wood seemed for a while to overpower him: he did not remain long perplexed with it; for three or four others, observing his dilemma, came behind and pushed it up. As soon, however, as he had got it on level ground, they left it to his care, and went to their own work. The piece he was drawing, happened to be considerably thicker at one end than the other. This soon threw the poor fellow into a fresh difficulty: he unluckily dragged it between two bits of wood. After several fruitless efforts, finding it would not go through, he

See Plate xix. Fig. 8.

DESCRIPTION. This is a large species. The antennæ and head are blackish; and the thorax the same, but testaceous beneath. The abdomen is dark brown; and the legs are ferrugiThe wings are transparent, veined with black. SYNONYMS. Formica Herculanea? La Fourmi Hercule. Tigny.-Hill-Ant. Gould,

nous.

adopted the only mode that even a reasoning being, in similar circumstances, could have taken; he came behind it, pulled it back again, and turned it on its edge; when, running again to the other end, it passed through without difficulty.

The same gentleman says, that, sitting one day in the garden of his college, he was surprised by remarking a single Ant busily employed in some work that caused him to make many journeys to and from the same place. This gentleman traced him to the entrance of the habitation of a community, whence he observed him to take the dead body of an Ant in his fangs, and run away with it. He carried it to a certain distance, dropped it, and returned for another, which, by the time of his arrival, was brought to the same hole. This work was continued as long as the gentleman had time to remain near them.

The use of the before-mentioned collection of sticks and rubbish seems, in a great measure, to consist in aiding to guard the nests from foreign invasion. They seem also to be of use in promoting the maturity of the pupa; numbers of which, in the summer-time, may be found interspersed among the rubbish.

During the warm season of the year, the Hill-ants, every morning, bring up their maggots and pupa nearly to the surface; so that, from ten in the morning until about five in the afternoon, these may always be found lodged just under the surface of the ground. And if their mounts be examined about eight in the evening, the insects will be found to have carried them all down; but, if rainy weather be coming on, it will even be necessary to dig a foot or two deeper than usual to find them.

The Hill-ants have a very odd and diverting propensity. One of them may frequently be observed in the act of running backward and forward with another Ant in its mouth. This is not intended, as might be supposed, for prey; for it is soon afterwards liberated, in a friendly manner, without having sustained any injury.