Page:An Account of English Ants (Gould, 1747, IA accountofenglish00goul).pdf/31

Rh The Body is compoed of ourfour [sic] Rings, and terminates in a Point. Each Ring is proportionably les, except in the Red Ants, whoe firt Ring much exceeds any of the ret. The Inide of the Body contains, beides the other Vicera, a Bag of corroding Spirituous Liquor, which the Ant can at its Pleaure eject to a coniderable Ditance.

The Red Species has alo a Sting of the ame Contexture as a Bee, only in Miniature. With this it opens an Orifice in the Fleh, and afterwards injects a Vernom which gives a mart but momentary Pain. In other Ants I cannot dicover any Sting; and therefore unles you allow them Time they are not o venemous. They are obliged, firt of all, to bite or make a mall Inciion with their Saws, and then eject ome of their corroding Liquor on the Wound, which has the like Effect as the above. The Red Ants live more open and expoed to View, travel at greater Ditances from their Cells, are more bold than any of the others, and therefore a Weapon of this is erviceable to them.

It may be remarked that the Jet Ants have a peculiar diagreeable Smell, which, I fancy, is a great Preervative to them againt an Enemy. The