HOSPITALITY OF ANTS 



along each side, of which the use is problematical. It 

 has the reputation of being tamable and intelligent. 

 Lizards generally show a tendency to lose their limbs. 

 There are many other families in which some members 

 have reduced themselves to the condition of grovelling 

 along upon their bellies. Always, however, there is 

 some trace recognizable by the anatomist of the other- 

 wise missing appendages. The most thoroughly snake- 

 like of living lizards are the amphisbaenas, a race 

 which is chiefly American and African. But even here 

 there is one genus in which the fore limbs are retained. 

 There are not uncommonly amphisbaenas to be seen 

 at the Zoo. The name is at most as ridiculous as that 

 of blind-worm, and has been given to them on account 

 of their short tail and blind face, rendering thus a 

 confusion between anterior and posterior possible, 

 except to the careful observer. The tropical American 

 Amphisbcena is especially fond of taking up its quarters 

 with ants, for choice the sauba ant. The ants, as a 

 rule a bloodthirsty race, apparently regard these crea- 

 tures with affection, or at least do not interfere with 

 them. But then ants have queer hospitable notions 

 towards various creatures of the animal world, and an 

 ant-hill generally contains an odd assortment of beetles 

 living under their protection, and apparently incapable 

 of living anywhere else. The ants are, like the brigands 

 of the transpontine melodrama, bloody and fierce as 

 a rule, but occasionally yielding to the softer emotions. 

 Their apparently bidden guests, so varied in character 

 and kind, remind one of the curious assemblage, the 

 cat, the black servant Frank and blind Miss Williams, 

 collected beneath his roof by Dr. Johnson. As to the 

 Amphisbcena, Mr. Bates remarks that it is exceedingly 

 sluggish and remains within the ant-hill all day, and 

 only comes forth at night. Naturally the native 

 thinks the Amphisbcena poisonous ; he also states that 



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