The Natural History of Selborne

Birds are much influenced in their choice of food by colour: for tho’ white currans are a much sweeter fruit than red; yet they seldom touch the former ’til they have devoured every bunch of the latter.  The male & female ants of the little yellow & little black sorts, leaving their nests, fill the air.  The females seem big with eggs.  They also run about on the turf, & seem in great agitation.  The females wander away, & form new colonies when pregnant.