210 THE entomologist's record. 



which have flown off from other nests. We have ourselves seen 

 swarms of the males of various species of ants when their number 

 has been legion. The largest swarms with which we have met that 

 come readily to our remembrance are (1) On Ben Beulah (Argyle- 

 shire), in August, 1893, when near the Avaterfall which may be seen from 

 Lochgoilhead. (2) In the Dora Valley, on the slopes of Mont Gourmet, 

 at the back of the village of Courmayeur, in August, 1894. In the first 

 ca=5e,we actually crossed the swarm, which caused the greatest discomfort, 

 filling nose, eyes and ears in a few moments, whilst the rapid sweep of a 

 butterfly net to and fro gave almost at once, quite half -a- pint of the 

 insects, and the operation had to be again and again performed, until 

 we had crossed the path of the swarm. In the second case the swarms 

 were equally large, and two or three distinct swarms were to be 

 observed on different parts of the mountain at one time. In both 

 cases the ants were literally in myriads. Kirby and Spence also 

 record {Introd., ii., p. 54), that Frazer, on October 6th, 1813, was 

 enveloped by a swarm of ants so numerous as entirely to intercept 

 his view on the mountain called Pena de Aya or Les Quatre 

 Couronnes. These authors assert (p. 51) that, when the autumnal 

 swarms of ants leave their nests, the males rise, as it were by a general 

 impulse, into the air, and the females accompany them. The whole 

 swarm alternately rises and falls with a slow movement to the height 

 of about ten feet, the males flying obliquely with a rapid zigzag 

 motion, and the females, though they follow the general movement of 

 thecolumn, appear to be suspended in the air like balloons, seemingly with 

 no individual motion, and having their heads turned towards the wind. 

 Sometimes the swarms of a whole district unite their infinite myriads, 

 and, seen at a distance, produce an effect resembling the flashing of an 

 aurora borealis. Rising with incredible velocity in distinct columns they 

 soar above the clouds. Each column looks like a kind of slender network 

 and has a tremulous undulating motion, which has been observed to 

 be produced by the regular alternate rising and falling just alluded to. 

 The noise emitted by myriads of these creatures does not exceed the 

 hum of a single wasp. The slightest zephyr disperses them. . . . 

 After this " danse de I'amour " is celebrated, the males disappear, 

 probably dying, or becoming, with the females, the prey of birds or 

 fish. That many, both males and females, become the prey of fish, one 

 of these authors is able to assert from his own observation. He writes: 

 "In the beginning of August, 1872, 1 was going up the Orford river, in 

 Suffolk, in a rowboat, in the evening, when my attention was caught by 

 an infinite number of winged ants, both males and females, at 

 which the fish were everywhere darting, floating alive on the 

 surface of the water. While passing the river these had prob- 

 ably been precipitated into it, either by the wind or by a 

 heavy shower which had just fallen." Bates gives {Naturalist on the 

 Ariiozons, p. 15) the following description of the dispersal of the 

 winged members of the Saiiba ant of Brazil. He writes: "The 

 swarming or exodus of the winged males and females of the Saiiba ant 

 takes place in January and February, that is, at the commencement 

 of the rainy season. They come out in the evening in vast numbers, 

 causing quite a commotion in the streets and lanes. They are of very 

 large size, the female measuring no less than two inches and a quarter 

 in expanse of wing ; the male is not much more than half this size. They 



