The Ants also in this respect, are remarkable for Penetration and Foresight. In America are Ants which raise Hillocks four or five Foot high, and have such a way of cementing the Earth about them, that ’tis as firm as Lime and Stone, which protects them against the Ant-Bears, or Pismire-eaters; i. e. a kind of Creatures as big as Dogs, that feed on these Insects.
One observes, that the Spaniards left Jamaica, and went to Cuba, for this Reason among others, because their Childrens Eyes were eaten by these Ants, when left by themselves in the Cradle[[10]].
[10]. Sir Hans Sloan’s Introduction to his Voyage, p. 68.
Ceylon in the East-Indies produces several sorts of remarkable Ants, particularly a large red kind, which make their Nests on the Boughs of great Trees, with Leaves wrapt together in Clusters, in which they lay their Eggs: And another sort call’d Vacos, whose Hinder-part is white, and the Head red; these swarm over the Land and devour every thing, but Stone and Iron: They creep on House-walls, and always build an Arch over themselves; on these their Poultry live chiefly; some of them bite desperately.
To these I might add the Wasps, that have their Winter-Treasures in subterranean Cells, and the Field-mice that know the proper Season to gather Acorns, which they carefully hide in hollow Places, (as Mole-runs) in the Earth. Thus we see no Creatures so mean in our View, but a Ray of divine Wisdom shines in their Foresight and Contrivance: When we consider how wonderfully these inferior Creatures are conducted in their Operations, how punctually they obey the Laws of their Creator, how solicitously every one propagates his Kind, and makes proper Provisions for his Family; it looks as if it were done by some Principle that’s more perfect than the common Reason of Man. Nevertheless ’tis past doubt, that Brutes of the highest Order, and most refin’d, are but Brutes, i. e. irrational, and it’s well for us they are so.
This is call’d Instinct, a natural Disposition, or Sagacity wherewith Animals are endued; by virtue whereof they are enabled to provide for themselves, know what is good for them, and are determin’d to propagate and preserve their Species. Instinct bears some Analogy to Reason or Understanding, and supplies the Defect of it in Brutes. The Narrative of Eve’s Temptation begins with affirming, The Serpent was more subtle than any Beast of the Field. And Christ recommends the Wisdom of the Serpent, but not without the Innocence of the Dove.
The Proofs of its Subtilty are not so obvious; some produce such as these, telling us, that the Serpent Cerastes hides itself in the Sand, with a view to bite the Horse’s Foot that he might throw the Rider. Jacob seems to allude to this, in the Blessing he gave to Dan, of whom ’tis said, Dan shall be a Serpent by the Way, an Adder in the Path, that bites the Horse’s Heels, so that his Rider shall fall backward. Gen. xlix. 17. But more in Part third.
SECTION III.
Serpents are supposed to have many Enemies, besides Man, as the Eagle, Hawk, Stork, Ibis, Ichneumon, Magaure, &c. I shall only touch upon some of these: Ibis is a Bird of Egypt, and a faithful Ally in the War against Serpents; vast Numbers of winged Serpents are annually bred in Arabia, from whence, at certain Seasons, Swarms of them take their flight across the Red-Sea into Egypt: Upon the first notice of their Arrival, the Ibidian Birds assemble in Troops, and immediately fly upon the Invaders, and soon destroy them. In the same manner they execute Vengeance upon the Serpents of Ethiopia, when they molest the Land[[11]].