4 Rev. Thomas S. Savage on the 



Mr. Smeathman's account is correct so far as it goes, as will 

 appear in the sequel, though the facts he gives are by no means 

 incidental occurrences, but all in the way of its regular habits. 

 Never having seen Drury's work (a subject of frequent regret) I 

 do not know whether Mr. Stneathman ever gave more than this 

 slight notice of their habits. 



It is evidently closely allied to the Atta cephalotes of Fab., 

 found in the West Indies and South America, and, like that named 

 by the French " Fourmi de visite," would be more appropriately 

 styled the " visiting" than the " travelling ant." The appellation 

 " Driver," however, is still more significant, as will appear from 

 the extract from Mr. Smeathman and my account. It not only 

 travels and visits, in common with other species of ants, but it 

 also drives every thing before it capable of muscular motion, so 

 formidable is it from its numbers and bite ; in respect to the last 

 fact it stands unique in its habits, and, in distinction from other 

 species of this country, may well take for its vulgar name that of 

 Driver. Whether it will find its proper location technically under 

 the genus Formica proper I leave you to decide, and proceed to a 

 detailed account of its habits so far as 1 have observed them. 



From its locomotive habits the impression, as in the case of 

 Smeathman, has obtained, that it has no fixed habitation. This 

 my observations go to confirm in respect both to their appearing 

 and disappearing from certain localities, and the absence of cells 

 or magazines. Its domicil, if such it may be called, consists of a 

 shallow excavation under the roots of trees, shelving rocks, and 

 almost any other substance that will afford a shelter ; not origi- 

 nating with themselves, but adopted and completed as the wants 

 of their community may require. The greatest depth to which 

 I have known them penetrate is about two feet. The interior 

 exhibits no mechanical contrivance, for which many other ants are 

 celebrated. There is an old saying, which is not without mean- 

 ing, that " a man's dwelling indicates the nature of his employ- 

 ment." A robber's house will not exhibit, either in or out, the 

 indications of a permanent abode that an honest man's does ; so 

 with that of the insects before us, their mode of life will not 

 admit of cells and magazines and other interior arrangements by 

 which the domicils of other ants more retiring and less aggressive 

 in their habits are characterized. The nearest approach they 

 make to such an arrangement is the adoption of fissures in the 

 ground, crevices in rocks, and the interstices between small 

 stones, &c. that may fall within tlie compass of their dwelling- 

 place. 



