TROPICAL NATURE 



especially of Zingiberaceous plants. When the nest is touched 

 a number of the ants rush out, apparently in a great rage, 

 stand erect, and make a loud rattling noise by tapping against 

 the leaves. This no doubt frightens away many enemies, and 

 is their only protection ; for though they attempt to bite, their 

 jaws are blunt and feeble, and they do not cause any pain. 



Coming now to the stinging groups, we have first a number 

 of solitary ants of the great genus Odontomachus, which are 

 seen wandering about the forest and are conspicuous by their 

 enormously long and slender hooked jaws. These are not 

 powerful, but serve admirably to hold on by while they sting, 

 which they do pretty severely. The Poneridse are another group 

 of large-sized ants which sting acutely. They are very varied 

 in species but are not abundant individually. The Ponera 

 clavata of Guiana is one of the worst stinging ants known. 

 It is a large species, frequenting the forests on the ground, and 

 is much dreaded by the natives, as its sting produces intense 

 pain and illness. I was myself stung by this or an allied species 

 when walking barefoot in the forest on the Upper Rio Negro. 

 It caused such pain and swelling of the leg that I had some 

 difficulty in reaching home, and was confined to my room for two 

 days. Sir Robert Schomburgh suffered more ; for he fainted 

 with the pain, and had an attack of fever in consequence. 



We now come to the Myrmecidae, which may be called 

 the destroying ants, from their immense abundance and de- 

 structive propensities. Many of them sting most acutely, 

 causing a pain like that of a sudden burn, whence they are 

 often called " fire-ants." They often swarm in houses and 

 devour everything eatable. Isolation by water is the only 

 security, and even this does not always succeed, as a little 

 dust on the surface will enable the smaller species to get 

 across. Oil is, however, an effectual protection, and after 

 many losses of valuable insect specimens, for which ants have 

 a special affection, I always used it. One species of this 

 group, a small black Crematogaster, took possession of my 

 house in New Guinea, building nests in the roof and making 

 covered ways down the posts and across the floor. They also 

 occupied the setting boards I used for pinning out my butter- 

 flies, filling up the grooves with cells and storing them with 

 small spiders. They were in constant motion, running over 



