'Tis with incredible Care and natural Affection, says SWAMMERDAM, that Ants
nourish and defend their Aureliæ, carrying them almost constantly about with them in
their Mouths, left any Mischief should happen to them. He tells us, that keeping some
of them with their young ones in his Study, inclosed in a Glass-Vessel filled with Earth,
he observed, with great Delight, that as the Supersicies of the Earth grew dry, they car-
ried their young ones deeper : And when he poured on some Water, ‘twas amazing to
behold with how much Affection, Solicitude, and Eagerness, they employed their utmost
Endeavours to remove them to some safer and drier Place. He often saw, after they had
wanted Water for some Days, that upon wetting the Earth a little, they would bring
their young ones to that Place, where he could distinctly see them move and suck in the
Moisture. He tried frequently to bring up some Aureliæ himself, but was always unsuc-
cessful ; for though he took them when full of Nourishment, no artificial Heat he could
contrive was capable of making them come forth without the Assistance of the Ants
themselves.
Sir EDWARD KING, who was very curious in examining the Generation of these
Creatures, observes
, that in a Summer-Morning they bring up their Aureliæ towards
the Top of the Bank ; so that from Ten o'Clock till Five or Six in the Afternoon, you
may find them near the Top, and commonly on the South-side. But towards Seven
or Eight at Night, if it be cool, or likely to rain, you may dig a Foot before you come
at them |
Swammard. Epil. ad Hist. Insect. p. 153. |
.
But nothing can be a stronger Proof of the paternal Affection of these Creatures to-
wards their Young, than what is so very common that there are few People of the least
Observation who have not seen it with their own Eyes : What I mean is, their running
away with them in their Mouths whenever their Burrows are dug up or disturbed ; bearing
even Blows, and losing their own Lives, rather than they will leave them in any Danger.
An EXPLANATION of the THIRTIETH PLATE
FIG. 1.
The Wandering Mite
THE little Animal presented to us in this Picture is called by Dr. HOOKE,
who was
the first Discoverer of it, by the Name of the Wandering Mite, from its Likeness
both in Size and Shape to that very minute Insect. In September and October 1661, he
perceived several of this Species wandering too and fro over the Glass-Squares of his
Chamber-Window at Oxford ; and in the same Months of the Year 1663, he observed
many of the same Creatures creeping on a Glass-Window at London ; and examining the
subjacent Wall without the Window, he found Multitudes of them there also, running
about among some small Tufts of green Moss, as well as amongst a curious blue and
yellow minute Species of Mushroom, or Jews-Ear, which grew upon the Wall.
This Creature appeared to the naked Eye to be a sort of black Mite, tho' nimbler and
stronger much than those found in Cheese ; but when viewed by the Microscope, it was
found to be finely crusted, or, as it were, cased over with Armour.
The Belly Part A, which was very large in proportion to the rest of the Animal, seemed
a protuberant oval Shell, thickly pitted with small Hollows, and covered all over with
little white Bristles, whose Points were directed backwards.
The Middle-Part or Thorax was extremely small in Comparison either of the Head or
Belly, being only what we see covered by the two Shells B B, though spreading somewhat
larger underneath.—It is wonderful to consider with what Variety Nature proportions the
Head, Thorax, and Belly of different Animals, in a manner unaccountable to us, but
doubtless exactly suited to the Way of Living and Happiness of every distinct Species.
