278 TROPICAL NATURE 



some day be valued as one of the most important branches of 

 biological science." l 



Next after the butterflies in importance, as giving an air 

 of life and interest to tropical nature, we must place the birds ; 

 but to avoid unnecessary passage, to and fro, among unrelated 

 groups, it will be best to follow on with a sketch of such 

 other groups of insects as from their numbers, variety, habits, 

 or other important features, attract the attention of the 

 traveller from colder climates. We begin then with a group 

 which, owing to their small size and obscure colours, would 

 attract little attention, but which nevertheless, by the 

 universality of their presence, their curious habits, and the 

 annoyance they often cause to man, are sure to force them- 

 selves upon the attention of every one who visits the tropics. 



Ants, Wasps, and Bees 



The hymenopterous insects of the tropics are, next to the 

 butterflies, those which come most prominently before the 

 traveller, as they love the sunshine, frequent gardens, houses, 

 and roadways as well as the forest shades, never seek conceal- 

 ment, and are many of them remarkable for their size or 

 form, or are adorned with beautiful colours and conspicuous 

 markings. Although ants are, perhaps, on the whole, the 

 smallest and the least attractive in appearance of all tropical 

 insects, yet, owing to their being excessively abundant and 

 almost omnipresent, as well as on account of their curious 

 habits and the necessity of being ever on the watch against 

 their destructive powers, they deserve our first notice. 



Ants are found everywhere. They abound in houses, 

 some living underground, others in the thatched roofs, on the 

 under surface of which they make their nests, while covered 

 ways of earth are often constructed upon the posts and doors. 

 In the forests they live on the ground, under leaves, on the 

 branches of trees, or under rotten bark ; while others actually 

 dwell in living plants, which seem to be specially modified so 

 as to accommodate them. Some sting severely, others only 

 bite ; some are quite harmless, others exceedingly destructive. 

 The number of different kinds is very great. In India and 

 the Malay Archipelago nearly 500 different species have been 

 1 Bates, The Naturalist on the River Amazons, 2d ed., p. 413. 



