ANTS. 63 
Harvesting Ants occur in many parts of the world; but 
I must content myself with a reference here to books which 
have been specially written on these, particularly to the 
works of Moggridge, Leopes, Forel, and others, referred to at 
the end of this Address. 
The habits of another species of Ant, the Driver Ant, 
Anomma arcens, of West Africa, have been described by 
Savage (Z'rans. Entom. Soc., 1847, p. 14). As these serve 
{in a much exaggerated way) to illustrate the habits of some 
of our British ants, the author’s words may be quoted 
here :—‘“ They keep down the more rapid increase of noxious 
insects and smaller reptiles; consume much dead animal 
matter which is constantly occurring, decaying, becoming 
offensive, and thus vitiating the atmosphere, and, which is 
by no means the least important in the Torrid Zone, often 
compelling the inhabitants to keep their dwellings, towns, 
and their vicinity in a state of comparative cleanliness. 
. .. Their entrance into a house is soon known by the simul- 
taneous and universal movement of rats, mice, lizards, Blap- 
side, Blattidee, and of the numerous vermin that infest our 
dwellings.... They move over the house with a good deal 
of order unless disturbed, occasionally spreading abroad, ran- 
sacking one point after another. . . . When they are fairly 
in we give up the house, and try to await with patience their 
pleasure.” Bates (Naturalist on the River Amazons, vol. ii. 
p. 364) describes the habits of the Hunting Ants of Brazil, 
Eeiton vastator and £. erratica, in essentially the same 
terms. These references will suffice to illustrate the fact that 
ants are carnivorous—one might almost say that they are 
omnivorous. But the fact remains—and it is a fact of greater 
importance than seems to have been attached to it—that 
ants in general have an almost insatiable craving after any- 
thing sweet. Honey, sugar, treacle, anything of the kind, 
including nectar, they must and will have, get it how they 
may, and be it their staple food or not. Very much that 
is of interest turns upon this fact. Firstly, we may briefly 
notice the well-known fact that ants have long been 
accustomed to climb trees in order to get at the honey-dew 
left there by Aphides, Also that, having once found out 
that delicacy, they have gone further and have traced the 
