[Illustration]
'Who can observe the faithful ant,
And not provide for future want.'
These little animals have been for ages considered as patterns of
industry: they were specially noticed by the wise king Solomon. He says,
"go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise." The ant
lays eggs in the manner of common flies; from these eggs are hatched
small maggots, or worms without legs; these, after a short time, change
into large white aureliae, or chrysales, which are usually called ant's
eggs. When a nest of these creatures is disturbed, however great their
own danger, the care they take of their offspring is remarkable: each
takes in its foreceps, a young one, often larger than itself and carries
it off.
These little insects form to themselves, with much industry and
application, of earth, sticks, leaves, &c. little hillocks, called
ant-hills, in the form of a cone: in these, they dwell, breed, and
deposite their stores: they are commonly built in woody places: the
brushy plains on Long-Island abound with them: they are from one to two
feet in height.