SUNDRY ANTS 288 



fered with produces a distinct stridulating or squeaking 

 noise. These characteristics make it easy to recognize. 

 Probably it is absent from the lake area because its 

 favourite prey is not found there. This is a species of 

 dark coloured termite which does not build hills, but 

 lives in burrows underground, from the open mouths 

 of which they come out in daylight to cut the segments 

 of grass blades, which they then drag down and pre- 

 sumably eat. 



The remarkable ant (Ecophylla smaragdina has already 

 been alluded to on account of its being mimicked by a 

 spider and a bug. It is not found by any means on all 

 islands, but was common on the trees overhanging the 

 " fly beach " on Damba. The nest is a globular shell 

 formed by leaves attached together along their edges 

 with silk spun, as H. N. Ridley first pointed out, by a 

 larva held between the jaws of an ant for that especial 

 purpose, and applied first to the edge of one leaf and 

 then to another. It is an inoffensive species, its feeble 

 mandibles being barely able to pierce one's skin, and 

 being without a sting. 



On Damba they fed largely on the thousands of small 

 " E'sami " lake flies (Chironomidae) which settle on the 

 leaves, but also from secretions of Aphidae on the stems 

 of the leaves. The island specimens were of a shining 

 light brown colour and form a distinct race, known as 

 longinoda. Some that I saw in Portuguese East Africa 

 in 1918 were more of a greyish brown tint. 



Another ant that lives on leaves of trees is known 

 to the Baganda as " Obusaji-saji," but unfortunately no 

 specimens were obtained for identification. 



It was very abundant on Bugalla and Damba, but does 

 not occur on many islands. It is a small, very active 

 long legged black species, which makes a frail nest of 

 some friable brown material on the backs of leaves or 

 between two leaves, which thus adhere together. 



