APPENDIX. 67 



by the grass, I came across a long line of ants, travelling four 

 deep, some coming empty, and others laden each with one 

 grass-seed, on their way home. 



"I followed up the procession to the nest, which was sub- 

 terranean, and at the mouth of which on the level plain there 

 was no trace of elevation caused by the soil brought up from 

 below, owing to the habit of these ants of taking each grain 

 of sand to some distance along their road, and depositing it 

 on one side or the other. 



" There may have been five or six entrances to the nest, in 

 and out of which a prodigious number of ants were passing, 

 the species of which has been described by Dr. Jerdon. They 

 were of a medium size, shortish bodies, and of a reddish-brown 

 colour — Fseudomyrma rufo-nigra, Jerdon. Around the 

 mouth of the nest, forming a circle of perhaps eighteen inches 

 in diameter, was a space beaten flat, and kept clear by these 

 said ants, from which radiated in every direction thirteen roads, 

 each about four inches in width for about thirty to forty yards, 

 when they branched off and became narrower, being ultimately 

 lost amongst the grass roots. These paths were fairly straight; 

 they did not cut through elevations, but went round them. 



" From a careful examination it appeared that they had 

 been cleared of all obstacles, such as small stones, twigs, &c., 

 but that their smoothness resulted only from the tread of 

 countless feet. 



" The bearers of burdens took the seeds into the nest, which 

 I did not dig up, and certainly stored them there, after having 

 prepared them, probably by the removal of a portion of the 

 outer husk. Of these husks there were large collections near 

 the entrances to the nest, all carefully set aside by the ants. 



" In times of famine, I am told, not only are the nests rifled 

 of their grass-seed stores, but these heaps of apparent husks 

 are collected and ground with other grain to eke out a 

 subsistence. 



"This kind of grain has a name, 'Jurroon,' derived from 

 * Jharna,' to sweep, literally sweepings. I much regret that 

 I have not preserved specimens of this ' Jurroon,' for it is 

 very unlikely that the ants after taking it to their granary, 

 should again throw it out, and yet, if grainless, what benefit 



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