LOVE AND COURTSHIP 35 



point of view come from the nests or heaps of the 

 great wood-ants, either the black or the red ants. 

 These are mounds of fir-needles, being, in many 

 instances, as large at the bottom in circumference 

 as a waggon wheel, and from two to three feet in 

 height ; even larger where they are very old ones. 

 They are found in fir woods, on the warm, sunny 

 slopes under the trees, as a rule pretty close to the 

 stems of the trees. The partridges and their chicks 

 do not visit these heaps, for they would get bitten to 

 death by the ferocious creatures. The keepers and 

 their lads procure the eggs of these, and a nice job it 

 is. A wood-pick, a sack, and a shovel are the imple- 

 ments required for the work. Round the men's 

 gaiters or trousers leather straps are tightly buckled, 

 to prevent, if possible, the great ants from fixing on 

 them, as they will try to do, like bulldogs when the 

 heaps are harried. The top of the heap is shovelled 

 off, laying open the domestic arrangements of the ant- 

 heap, and showing also the alarmed and furious ants 

 trying to carry off their large eggs to a place of safety ; 

 but it is all in vain. Eggs and all they go into the 

 sack. In spite of every precaution, the ant-egg 

 getters do get bitten severely, for the ants would fix 

 anything.' l 



1 Pall Mall Magazine. 



D 2 



