WHITE ANTS 177 



presented the most weird appearance. The bats were 

 very large, the size at least of half-grown kittens ; and 

 from every branch and spray capable of supporting the 

 weight hung one or several of them head downwards. 

 Beheld thus in the half-darkness, the tree resembled 

 one of those I have seen represented in old pictures 

 as growing in the lower regions on the bank of the 

 Styx. 



Now the curious thing was that this was the only tree 

 of the kind in the station ; and this species of bat, 

 I was told, was not found anywhere in the neighbour- 

 hood. By what instinct, then, did they discover the 

 existence of the tree and the time when its fruit 

 ripened ? As soon as the fruit was all devoured, the 

 bats departed. 



N 



