90 WASTE-LAND WANDERINGS. 



males depends likewise upon tlie workers. It is amus- 

 ing to see the activity and excitement which reign in 

 an ant's nest when the exodus of the winged individuals 

 is taking place. The workers clear the roads of exit, 

 and show the most lively interest in their departure, al- 

 though it is highly improbable that any of them will 

 return to the same colony. The swarming or exodus of 

 the winged males and females of the Saiiba ant takes 

 place in January and February, that is, at the commence- 

 ment of the rainy season. They come out in the evening 

 in vast numbers, causing quite a commotion in the streets 

 and lanes." This quotation from our author's fascinat- 

 ing " Naturalist on the Amazons " is of especial interest, 

 because of the great similarity and dissimilarity in the 

 movements of the two species at this period of their ex- 

 istence. Remembering, at the time, the above remarks 

 concerning the South American species, I looked care- 

 fully for the workers in this instance, and failed to dis- 

 cover more than a dozen wingless ants above-ground, 

 and these were plodding about, very indifferent, as it ap- 

 peared to me, to the fate or welfare of their winged 

 brethren. On digging down a few inches, I could find 

 but comparatively few individuals in the nest, and could 

 detect no movements on their parts that referred to the 

 exodus of winged individuals then going on. 



On the other hand, the time of day agrees with the 

 remarks of Mr. Bates. "When I first noticed them, 

 about 4 P.M., they had probably just commenced their 

 flight. It continued until nearly 7 o'clock P.M., or for a 

 considerable time after sunset. The next morning there 

 was not an individual, winged or wingless, to be seen 



