304 



Insect Architecture. 



On cutting into the root of the before-mentioned tree, we 

 found the vertical excavations of much larger dimensions, 

 both in width and depth, than those represented by Huber in 

 the preceding cut (page 302). What surprised us the most 

 was to see the tree growing vigorously and fresh, though its 

 roots were chiseled in all directions by legions of workers, 

 while every leaf, and every inch of the bark, was also 

 crowded by parties of foragers. On one of the low branches 

 we found a deserted nest of the white-throat (Sylvia cinerea, 

 TEMMINCK), in the cavity of which they were piled upon one 

 another as close as the unhappy negroes in the hold of a 

 slave-ship; but we could not discover what had attracted 

 them hither. Another dense group, collected on one of the 

 branches, led us to the discovery of a very singular oak gall, 

 formed on the bark in the shape of a pointed cone, and 



F. fulipinosa. 



crowded together. It is probable that the juice which they 

 extracted from these galls was much to their taste. (J.E.) 

 Beside the jet-ant, several other species exercise the art of 



