62 WILD LIFE IN NORTH CANARA. 



I have never seen mention of what 

 I one day observed, to wit, that the 

 blue-bottle fly eats ant's eggs. A long 

 train of tiny ants, each carrying a white 

 egg, was crossing the veranda ; a blue- 

 bottle fly alighted close by, and from 

 time to time rose and hovered close 

 above the caravan; the wind from his 

 wings blew the ants about, and some of 

 them dropped their loads, these were 

 instantly raised one by one by the fly at 

 the end of his proboscis, sucked, and 

 then dropped; and whenever a fresh 

 supply was wanted, the fly rose on his 

 wings and winnowed the line of ants. 

 No attempt was made by any of them to 

 turn upon the fly or molest it. 



