98 



The White Ant. 



this way we would say it was done by in- 

 stinct, but as they generally build in the 

 ground, and only erect a pyramid Avhen 

 they have a convenient stump to begin on, 

 we are sure that they are capable of learn- 

 ing by experience. They never begin a 



pyramids stand for many years, but they 

 crumble at last and are mingled with the 

 soil. 



White ants are very frequently charged 

 with destroying living plants, and they are 

 certainly often found in positions which 



PYRAMIDS OF THE WHITE ANT. 



pyramid around a standing dead tree, nor 

 around a fallen log; these they always eat 

 from the inside, but a large stump is very 

 convenient to build on — they have food at 

 hand all the time they are building; while 

 they are eating the stump they build their 

 chamber and passa'ges in the hollow, and 

 when they have eaten all the roots they 

 have convenient hollows for building sub- 

 terranean chambers and passages. These 



lend a color to the belief. In a young 

 plantation of fruit or timber trees a certain 

 proportion die, and if one of the dead 

 plants is pulled up the roots will generally 

 be found infested with white ants, which 

 are consequently blamed for killing the 

 plant; but after careful study of this sub- 

 ject I am perfectly satisfied that they will 

 not touch any part in which the sap is cir- 

 culating. Directly a root dies they begin 



