116 NATURE NEAR LONDON. 



HEATHLANDS, 



Sandown has become one of the most familiar places 

 near the metropolis, but the fir woods at the back 

 of it are perhaps scarcely known to exist by many 

 who visit the fashionable knoll. Though near at 

 hand, they are shut off by the village of Esher ; but 

 a mile or two westwards, down the Portsmouth 

 highway, there is a cartroad on the left hand which 

 enters at once into the woods. 



The fine white sand of the soil is only covered by 

 a thin coating of earth formed from the falling leaves 

 and decayed branches, so thin that it may sometimes 

 be rubbed away by the foot or even the fingers. 

 Grass and moss grow sparingly in the track, but 

 wherever wheels or footsteps have passed at all 

 frequently the sand is exposed in white streaks under 

 the shadowy firs. In grass small objects often escape 

 observation, but on such a bare surface everything 

 becomes visible. Coming to. one of these places on 

 a summer day, I saw a stream of insects crossing 

 and recrossing, from the fern upon one side to the 

 fern upon the other. 



They were ants, but of a very much larger species 

 than the little red and black *' emmets " which exist 

 in the meadows. These horse ants were not much 



