HINTERLAND NOTES 487 



As for niarabuntas or wasps, their nests are abundant 

 in the bush, behind big leaves. 



We did not find that the timbers of our house were at- 

 tacked b}^ ants, but by two borers, similar in form, though 

 one is larger than the other. They bored into and hollowed 

 out the wood, scattering a fine dust over the ground, or the 

 floor. I have the Indian names of those woods which the 

 borers do not attack. I began to press leaves and to make 

 sketches of them, with notes. When building a house care 

 should be taken that the Indians are made to search for the 

 right wood, or they will bring in the first that comes to hand, 

 although they know it is liable to attack and will not last a 

 year. 



It was interesting, when digging, to find the rhinocer- 

 ous beetle, embedded in earthen cases, at a depth of eighteen 

 inches from the siu'face of the soil. This was in an old ant- 

 heap. Some of the beetles were pale yellow, as if only just 

 hatched. Others were rufus-sepia. And others, again, were 

 ahnost black. 



