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medy against the tænia, the itch, and the leprofy. To use them, they must be diffolved with a little falt, and. the diseased part anointed with the liquor, The fpirit of ants is an excellent remedy against diseases of the ear, fuch as deafnefs or ringing. Cotton dipt in this spirit is put in the ears. It fits alfo eafy on the ftomach. It fortifies all the fenfes and the memory. It re-animates the ftrength, and gives vigour. It is preferable to all forts of apoplectic and strengthening waters, particularly in the cure of catarrhs It is externally of great ufe in fprains, in apoplexy and in atrophy, caused by a wound. It is mixed with waters agreeable to the nerves, or with arthritic fpirits. The eggs of ants are efficacious in deafness. If the cheeks of children are rubbed with them, the down falls off. The quantity of wind they excite, when a fingle dram of them is taken; is very remarkable. If an ant neft is boiled in water, and one washes in it, it dries, warms, and fortifies the nerves. Accordingly, it is ufed in the gout, palfy, difeafes of the matrix, and cachexy. In the nefts of ants are found fmall bits of matter, having the fmell of amber or incense. These are formed by the infects from the refin of pines. In Norway and in Germany, they are ufed in perfumery.

CHAP.

V.

OF THE USE OF INSECTS WITH RESPECT TO OTHER

ANIMALS.

I HAVE fufficiently proved, in the laft chapter, that infects are useful to man. I fhall now fhew, that Dd2

they

they are no lefs beneficial to the other animals. They ferve them for food and phyfic; one infect even is ufed as food by others. Mr de Reaumur found, that fome caterpillars devoured one another. But, as he obferves, that they do not come to this extremity, till their proper food is withered, it is probable that these infects are driven to it by neceffity. Perhaps thofe infects were of a fpecies that require a deal of fluid for their fubfiftance. The minute pulices aquatici, which difcolour the furface of waters, ferve for food to the aquatic infects, which change into gnats. A moft admirable ordination of Providence! Small as they are, the Author of Nature has created animals, fmall enough to be fwallowed whole by them. Of infects that live on land, fpiders devour flies, wafps. deftroy bees, and grafshoppers ants. Serpents often make an excellent repaft of caterpillars, chafers, &c. There is a fpecies of fnail, which devours the entrails of certain infects,

The avidity which fishes discover for certain fpecies of infects, does not permit us to doubt, that they are to them a defirable food. The monftrous whale feeds on fmall fea infects. How aftonifhing is it that fuch food can fatisfy an animal of fuch enormous fize! In rivers, gnats are almost the only food of the fhad-fifh; and the pulices aquatici are the favourite food of the tench.

Infects it is well known are the most common food of a great number of birds which feed their young with them. This is therefore the reason why the greater part breed only in the fpring, when there is plenty of caterpillars on the hedges and trees. Even thofe of them which when old eat grain or feeds, nevertheless nourish their young with infects, birds are naturally warm, therefore they muft always have fomething to digeft. We cannot here ceafe to ad

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mire the wisdom of the Creator who, that birds may not want nourishment, has created such a prodigious multitude of infects. This wisdom is particularly remarkable in this, that ants are of all infects the moft numerous, because no fpecies is fo much preyed upon by birds. Infects therefore may be faid to be a fort of game after which birds are perpetually in chace. The wagtail and blackbird eat worms. Crows and ftarlings light upon fheep newly fhorn, to feed on a fort of blue lice which are then vifible at fome diftance on their, fkin. Ducks diving under water, devour the pulices aquatici. The little tit-moufe and red-throat very dextrously catch flies on the wing, and thin the air of them. The woodcock and the fnipe feek for fmall worms in the marfhes. The large tom-tit will kill from ten to twelve bees, and tearing out the entrails and honey bag, convey them to its young. The eggs of the ant are the food of the young nightingales. Swallows live entirely on bees, and other infects which they carry to their brood. Woodpeckers feize with their tongues, the infects which live in holes of trees and in clefts in the bark. This nourishment fattens many species of birds. It is at least certain that poultry lay oftener, when they have an opportunity of feeding on beetles and earth worms.

I must here remark the wifdom and goodnefs of the Creator. While he has given to birds a defire for certain infects he has also beftowed on them the neceffary members and qualities for feizing them. Snipes, herons, and other water birds which are obliged to feek for infects under water, have their bills long enough for this purpofe. Ducks which are obliged for the fame purpofe to remove the mud have their bills broad. The wood-peckers which penetrate the bark of trees, have their bill hard, fharp, and fit for boring. The upper part of it is the moft

raised,

raised, and feems to be applied to the under to give more ftrength to the whole bill as well as to ferve for ornament. When we view it, we cannot help admiring the art with which it is laboured. Befides this advantage, this bird has the tongue flender like an awl, and ufes it very adroitly in catching the infects the point of the tongue therefore is endowed with a certain hardness, and on both fides it is furLa nifhed with fmall curved hooks which prevent the infects from difengaging themselves when the bird draws its tongue into its mouth.

Infects likewife ferve as food for quadrupeds. In the Indies is found an animal which hunts for infects, and devours them with avidity. The young armadillos feed on a species of locuft which, because they have on their neck a fort of hood, have been called Monks. Bears are fond of ants and honey, and they go in search with great eagerness of the refts of wild bees. The Chameleon, and fome other fpecies of lizards eat flies. The principal food of the badger is the dung beetle, worms, and other infects of that kind. If we may believe Eliar, foxes are not only greedy of poultry, but also fond of honey, and for this purpose feek the nefts of wafps. Frogs lie in wait to feize upon bees when they come to drink. Dogs dig up the Cicadas and eat them. The mole which lives in the earth, feeds on worms and millepieds.

The members of thofe quadrupeds that feed on infects, are provided with the neceffary qualities for feizing their prey. The tongue of that animal of the Indies, which lives on ants, is long and limber. He thrufts it out, far from his mouth, and darts it into an ant hill, whence, after the ants have got upon it, he withdraws it again into his mouth. The tongue of the chameleon is likewise long, pointed,

and

and covered with a vifcid liquor. This animal keeps his mouth open, and when flies, ants, little beetles, or other infects pafs within his reach, he darts out his tongue, with the fwiftness of an arrow, and when he has once catched them, they cannot escape: they are stuck on the tip of his tongue, as they would be. on the point of a pin, or they are retained by the gluey fubftance which adheres to it, as birds are with bird-lime.

Infects, which ferve for food to certain animals, afford medecine to others. Poultry, when diseased, fwallow fpiders, which purge and cure them. Bears, when troubled with indigeftion, dip their tongue in honey, (as Plutarch relates,) and thrust it into an ant-hill: when the ants have gathered on it, they draw it in, fwallow the ants and are cured. To avoid prolixity, I shall not adduce any more inftances.

After mature reflection on what has just been faid, concerning the uses of infects, we cannot surely hesitate in concluding, that the Being who formed them, is all-wife and almighty. His power appears, in his having conjoined fo many qualities in fuch diminutive animals and his wifdom, in having rendered them equally useful to men and brutes, in health, and in fickness. It is our duty to attend seriously to thefe circumstances; to have our hearts penetrated with gratitude to our Creator, and to offer him our continual thanks.

Man, endowed with reafon, convinced of the utility of many infects, cannot help acknowledging, that there are many ftill, whose uses are totally unknown. In this perfuafion, what can he do better, than apply himself to the affiduous inveftigation of their properties? The objection that many are noxious, is not a good one. I fhall answer it in the fucceeding

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