124 EXTRACTS FROM (X)RRESPONDENCE. 



in their path, or carrying home any little bit of stick or rubbish they may 

 meet with for the repairs of their vast dwelling, which is continually get- 

 ting injured by the summer showers and "other inevitable accidents." 



The nest in question was only about two feet high, and about six round 

 the base; and it being a fine warm sunny day, the Ants, like the people 

 we read of in Eastern story, had all come out for an airing on the roof; 

 there they lay all perfectly still, one over the other, enjoying what Kirby 

 calls "the height of formic felicity" — an idle listless day of sunshine. 

 Poor things! they are not often accused of idleness, and by this time they 

 have no doubt commenced their daily toil in right good earnest, bringing 

 up their pupae during the day near the surface, to catch the warm rays 

 of the sun, and collecting materials to repair the inroads of the winter 

 months. 



Seeing the dark mass thus congregated together, I gently inserted my 

 stick underneath, and caused the ground to quake, and what a hubbub 

 followed; where everything had just before been quiet all was now in con- 

 fusion, but in an incredibly short space of time, scarcely an Ant was to 

 be seen, all had vanished down the subterranean passages of their curious 

 abode, and soon no signs of life were visible, except here and there when 

 an occasional sentry ran with the utmost speed from one entrance to 

 another, as if the entire safety of the citadel depended upon its individual 

 exertions. 



There were but few moths out. Orporabia tortricella was very abundant, 

 flying about the tops of the young oak saplings in the broad sunlight; 

 there were also a few of Diurnea fagdla on the trunks of the trees. I 

 also took several of the Yellow-horned Moth, {Ger-FJavicornis,) and one 

 fine specimen of Biston prodromarius, just emerged from chrysalis. On 

 my way home, whilst walking by the side of a ditch half-full of water, I 

 roused a snake, which, on my attempting to catch it, plunged at once 

 into the water, and hid itself among the grass and reeds growing at the 

 side. On coming to the low lands I saw a few Hooded Crows still left, 

 most of them had taken their departure; before they went I was struck 

 with the singular change in their note, which usually resembles that of a 

 Raven, only not quite so hoarse; but now they uttered a cry exactly like 

 the short sharp bark of a terrier dog, repeated two or three times in suc- 

 cession. These birds assemble here in the month of October, and go away 

 again about the end of March; during the time that they are with us 

 they are sometimes to be seen singly, and sometimes in flocks of from 

 ten to fifty, according to the amount of carrion to be consumed. I once 

 saw an immense number slowly flying up the river, and every now and 

 then some kept darting out of the flock to the water, endeavouring to 

 catch the pieces of stray offal that were carried past by the stream. The 



