This manner of Oeconomy or Government amongſt the Ants may be eſteemed a particular Inſtance of divine Wiſdom. Had the common Workers been of either Sex, it muſt have given a great deal of Interruption to their Labours, and have often interfered with the Aſſiduity required in Breeding up the young Offspring. At the ſame Time there is ſuch a ſtrong expreſſive [1]Affection imprinted on them towards the Eggs, as cannot but ſhew it to be the Reſult of a ſuperior Goodneſs. Had the Queens been more numerous, it would have engaged too large a Circle of Attendants; had they been leſs, or equal with Regard to Size, it would not ſo well have anſwered the different Proportions of Young obſervable in the ſeveral Colonies. So exact are the Wonders of Providence! in nothing ſuperfluous or deficient.
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- ↑ Mr. Derham juſtly calls this their unparallelled (
Greek characters), or Tenderneſs towards their Young.Derham's Phyſ. Theol. B. 8.. cap. 5.
CHAP.
