THE RIVER 45 



so very high on its legs. Most ants seem to crawl with 

 their bodies close to the ground, but this ant runs, and 

 with its body well elevated above the surface. It differs 

 from most other ants also in this : it makes its nest 

 in the ground, but passes nearly all its existence on a 

 certain species of tree. 



I came on these ants this morning quite by accident. 

 I was sauntering down one of the paths of the garden, 

 when I saw a very large ant come out of a hole in the 

 path ; I recognized him as a " burtunga." On seeing 

 me he paused, appeared alarmed, turned, and fled 

 hurriedly back. Once within his hole, he seemed re- 

 assured ; he remained standing just within the entrance 

 calmly regarding me. I concluded from this that the 

 hole was the passage to his nest ; and this it proved 

 to be. 



Curious to see what his next proceedings would be, 

 I withdrew to a little distance, and there remained and 

 watched. In a minute or so the ant came out ; he 

 seemed to look around ; he could not, I imagine, see 

 me where I stood. I suppose also that, thinking all 

 safe, he gave some signal, for presently a whole 

 multitude of other ants came swarming out. I noticed 

 that each ant carried in his mouth a small pellet of 

 earth. The ants ran with their pellets to a short 

 distance, dropped them, and returned to the hole, I 

 presume, to bring out more. There was such a con- 

 tinued stream of ants coming out, and all bearing 

 pellets of earth, that I concluded that the galleries of a 

 nest were being excavated or enlarged. Whatever the 

 work was on which the ants were engaged, they were 



