66 
Dr. Bostock on the Domestic Habits 
symptoms of the dry rot, on which account I had the whole of the 
floor removed, the sand below, to the depth of about a foot, was 
taken away, and in its place a new floor was laid down, resting 
upon tiles, which were imbedded in cement. 
The grate and the fire-range were then examined, and here the 
animals appeared to be in still greater quantity than in the former 
cases ; every hole and crevice was absolutely swarming with them. 
I had all the bricks and mortar carefully removed, every part of 
the iron-work cleaned, and the whole of the range set up with fresh 
bricks and tiles, and even the inside of the chimney, to the height 
of six or seven feet, lined with fire-tiles, imbedded in cement. The 
effect of all these operations has been to reduce the number of the 
animals very considerably, but still there are many of them creep- 
ing about the fire-place, and especially in the breast of the chimney. 
The other parts of the kitchen are altogether, or, at least, very 
nearly free from them, a single straggler alone having been occasion- 
ally seen on the end of the dresser, or on the skirting-board near 
the stove. 
This occurrence in my own house has naturally led me to make 
many inquiries about the existence of these animals in other places, 
and the result has been to prove, that, within the last year or two, 
they have appeared in a great many parts of the metropolis, con- 
siderably distant from each other. I have, however, found great 
difficulty in obtaining accurate information on this subject. This 
arises from two causes ; first, from the information being neces- 
sarily obtained principally from the servants of the families, the 
animals almost invariably making their appearance, in the first in- 
stance, in the kitchens of the respective houses ; and, more parti- 
cularly, from the unwillingness which many persons manifest to 
have it known that their houses are infested with the ants. I think, 
however, that I have obtained sufficient proof that they extend 
over a district commencing at Gray’s Inn Lane in the east, extend- 
ing at least as far as the line of Regent Street in the west, and in 
the other direction, from the commencement of Somer’s Town to 
the Strand. I also know that they are in a house at Hampstead, 
and I have heard that they have made their appearance in South- 
wark. I have ascertained that they have invaded several shops, 
principally bakers’ and grocers’, and that, in some cases, they have 
been found so serious a nuisance, as to cause the occupier to leave 
the premises. 
I have made many inquiries respecting the mode in which they 
have been supposed to have entered the houses, but I regret to 
say, that I have obtained but little precise information. In some 
