NEMALAH Sept. Mopi.oi$ ; Vulg.
Formica ; fifth order of insects ; Hymenoptera, Linn. ; occurs Prov. vi. 6 ; xxx. 25). Ants have only latterly become the subjects of accurate ob servation. The investigations of Latreille, Gould, Geer, Huber, and Kirby and Spence, have dissi pated many erroneous notions respecting them and revealed much interesting information concerning their domestic polity, language, migrations, affec tions, passions, virtues, wars, diversions, etc. The following facts are selected as relevant to Scriptural illustration. Ants dwell together in societies ; and although they have no guide, overseer, or ruler,' yet they have all one soul, and are animated by one object—their own welfare, and the welfare of each other. Each individual strenuously pursues his own peculiar duties ; and regards (except in the case of females), and is regarded by, every other member of the republic with equal respect and affection. They devote the utmost attention to their young. The egg is cleaned and licked, and gradually expands under this treatment, till the worm is hatched, which is then tended and fed with the most affectionate care. They continue their assiduity to the pupa, or chrysalis, which is the third transformation. They heap up the pupa;, which greatly resemble so many grains of wheat, or rather rice, by hundreds in their spacious lodges, watch them in an attitude of defence, carry them out to enjoy the radiance of the sun, and remove them to different situations in the nest, according to the required degree of temperature ; open the pupa, and at the precise moment of the transform tion, disenthral the new-born insect of its habili ments.
The most prevalent and inexcusable error, how ever, respecting ants, has been the belief that they hoard up grains of corn, chiefly wheat, for their supply during winter, having first bitten out the germ to prevent it from growing in their nests. The learned Bochart has collected an immense array of the most eminent authors and naturalists of antiquity (Jewish, Greek, Roman. and Arabian), who all gravely propound this assertion. Notwith standing that this notion has been completely ex ploded during the last hundred years, with regard to European ants, the belief of it constitutes to this hour one of our popular errors. Even Solomon himself, whose renowned attainments in natural history included the knowledge of insects (r Kings iv. 33), has been inconsiderately supposed to have sanctioned the same opinion in the two passages in his writings which refer to the ant. The mis take has no doubt arisen from the great similarity, both in shape, size, and colour, before mentioned, of the pupa or chrysalis of the ant to a grain of corn, and from the ants being observed to carry them about, and to open the cuticle to let out the enclosed insect. It is now also ascertained beyond a doubt that no European ants, hitherto properly examined, feed on corn, or any other kind of grain. Bonnet found that, however long they had been kept without food, they would not touch corn. Nor do they attack the roots or stems of corn, nor any other vegetable matter. Nor has any species of ant been yet found with food of any kind laid up in its nest. The truth is, that ants are chiefly car nivorous, preying indiscriminately on all the soft parts of other insects, and especially the viscera also upon worms, whether dead or alive, and small birds or animals. If unable to drag their booty to the nest, they make an abundant meal upon it, and, like the bee, disgorge it, upon their return home, for tht use of their companions ; and they appear able to retain at pleasure the nutritious juices un changed for a considerable time. Ants are also extremely fond of saccharine matter, which they obtain from the exudation of trees, or from ripe fruits, etc. ; but their favourite food is the saccharine exudation from the body of the aphides, or plant lice. These creatures are the nzilch trine of the ants. By a remarkable coincidence, which M. Huber justly considers too much to be ascribed to chance, the aphides and the ants become torpid at the same degree of cold (27 deg. Fahr.), and revive together at the same degree of warmth. He says, I am not acquainted with any ants to whom the art of obtaining from the pucerons (aphides) their subsistence is unknown. We might even
venture to affirm that these insects are made for their use' (Huber, Natural History of Ants, p. no, etc.) It is highly probable that the exotic ants subsist by similar means. The accounts given us of the termites, or ants, inhabiting the hottest climates, clearly show that they are carnivorous. In the Introduction to Entomology, by Kirby and Spence, some diffidence is expressed (ii. 46) respecting the inference that no exotic ants have magazines of provisions, till their habits shall have been more accurately explored.' Still, are we not in posses sion of sufficient data to form a strong presumption in regard to the ants of Palestine, to which Solo mon of course alludes in his writings? The ants of the Holy Land certainly have to encounter a degree of cold quite as severe as ever occurs in England (Physical Hist. of Palestine, 210, 216). Is it not highly probable that the ants at such times become torpid, and need no magazine of provisions? And since we learn from the same authority (p. 31) that there are intervals, even in the depth of winter, when the sun shines, and there is no wind, when it is perfectly warm, sometimes almost hot, in the open air, may not the ants of Palestine and their food revive to gether at such times, as is the case in our own country, where ants may often be seen pursuing their avocations over the snow ? With regard to Solomon's words respecting the ant, Kirby and Spence are of opinion that if they are properly considered it will be found that the interpretation which seems to favour the ancient error respecting ants has been fathered upon them rather than fairly deduced from them. He does not affirm that the ant, which he proposes to the sluggard as an example, laid up in her magazine stores of grain against winter, but that, with considerable prudence and foresight, she makes use of proper seasons to collect a supply of provisions sufficient for her purposes. There is not a word in them implying that she stores up grain or other provi sions. She prepares her bread and gathers her food (namely, such food as is suited to her) in summer and harvest (that is, when it is most plentiful), and thus shows her wisdom and pru dence by using the advantages offered to her.' A brief examination of the passages (Prov. vi. 6 ; xxx. 25), with reference to their context, will serve to confirm these observations. In the verses, Solomon has cautioned his readers against incurring dangerous responsibilities on behalf of another. Should this have inadvertently been done, he advises the surety to give no sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids till be has delivered himself from his rash engagement. He then adds, Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise : which having no guide, overseer, ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, gathereth her food in the harvest.' The sense is thus ably given by Dr. Hammond : 'As in the matter just mentioned the least delay is pernicious, so in all things else sluggishness, or negligence of those things which concern us most nearly, should ever be avoided ; and if we need any instructor on this head, we may go to one of the least and meanest of creatures.' The moral, then, intended in Solomon's allusion to the ant, is simply avail one's-self of the favourable time without delay. The description which follows, of the sluggard sleeping, evidently during the day, the proper season of activity, and of the consequences of his vice, agrees with this interpretation. The other passage (xxx. 25), probably by a different writer, also considers the ant simply as the symbol of diligence.
The peculiar use of the terms summer and har vest, among the Jews, may have contributed to the erroneous interpretation. The Jews had no word to signify spring or autumn. They spoke only of summer and winter : by the former they designated the whole of the more genial time of the year, and by the latter the whole of the less favour able. Hence Solomon uses summer and harvest as synonymous terms (Prov. x. 5 ; xxvi. 1 : see also Jer. viii. 20 ; Matt. xxiv. 32). In the same way the Romans employed stas and messis, and the Greeks Obpor and eepiN.—J. F. D.