Notes oil Jungle and Other Wild Life. 109 



some others. I killed a fly and placed it near one of the scout 

 pnts and about four feet from where their domicile was. The 

 ant was not long" in finding the fly. It then made off towards 

 home. Just outside it met a comrade with which it remained in 

 (lose contact for two or three seconds, the latter becoming" more 

 and more excited while they were together. On parting, the 

 first ant went on to the home, while the second started off in the 

 opposite direction at a brisk run along the path traversed 

 originally by the first. On it hurried until it got opposite the 

 flv to get to which it would have to turn aside about an inch 

 and a half from the straight path. The bend seemed to puzzle 

 it a little. It went past an inch or two and returned, and did so 

 for two or three times, evidently hunting for the trail laid by the 

 first. Finally it picked this up, turned aside and was at its 

 objective." 



Something" more wonderful yet can be seen with these 

 ants. The scouts or small workers can report to headquarters 

 whether an object they have found is dead or alive, or requires 

 a turn-out of the big workers or carvers, as I call them, as these 

 are ants with a large head furnished with a formidable pair of 

 sharp jaws for cutting up where necessary, an object found. 

 Let a scout find a few grains of sugar, for instance. When the 

 scouts report only similar small workers come out to fetch them 

 in. Let them find a small dead fly which they can handle easily 

 themselves. There is no turn-out of the carvers. Let the 

 scouts report a dead cock-roach. The carvers come out, as it 

 is a big object and may need not only some carving but also 

 the superior strength of the big workers for bringing it home. 

 In such a case the carvers do not come out in a very excited 

 manner. Let, now, the scouts report a small live moth, or a 

 cockroach wdiich, though you have smashed, still has a deal of 

 life left, or a stubborn hard-back, and the carvers turn out in a 

 very excited manner, and hurry along with jaws agape and 

 threatening. They know they have been summoned to give a 

 speedy quietus to some troublesome quarry." 



As with mosquitos elsewhere, the tropical species are 

 given to hiding during the day (preferably in dark corners and in 

 the folds of black clothing") and seeking victims during the 

 night ; they are generally nocturnal animals. Taking advantage 

 of that trait, a Barbadian (or Badian as they sometimes call 



