240 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



are not inferior to those of the Old World. In the savannahs of 

 Guiana their sugar-loaf or mushroom-shaped, pyramidal or 

 columnar hills are everywhere to be seen, impenetrable to the 

 rain, and strong enough to resist even a tropical tornado. On 

 the summits of these artificial mounds a neat little falcon {Falco 

 sparverius) often takes his station, darting down, from time to 

 time, like lightning upon some unfortunate lizard, and then 

 again speedily returning to his look-out. The large caracara 

 eagle {Polyborus caracara) likewise chooses these eminences 

 as an observatory from whence he rushes robber-like on his 

 prey ; there also an ugly black lizard {Ecchymotes torquatus) 

 loves to sun itself, but disappears immediately in the grass as 

 soon as a traveller approaches. 



In many parts of the Brazilian campos or savannahs the 

 termite-hills, which are there generally of a more flattened 

 form, are so numerous that one is almost sure to meet with 

 one of them at the distance of every ten or twenty paces. The 

 great ant-bear digs deep holes into their sides, where after- 

 wards small owls build their nests. Similar termite structures, 

 of a dark-brown colour, and a round form, are attached to the 

 thick branches of the trees, and you will scarcely meet with a 

 single specimen of the tall candelabra-formed cactuses (Gerei)^ 

 so common on those high grass-plains, that is not loaded with 

 their weight. 



In spite of their working in the dark, in spite of their sub- 

 terranean tunnels, their strongholds, and the fecundity of their 

 queens, the termites, even when their swarms do not expose 

 themselves to the dangers already mentioned, are subject to 

 the attacks of innumerable foes — ant-eaters, birds, and a 

 whole host of insects — that do man no little service by 

 keeping them within bounds. 



One of their most ferocious enemies is a species of black ant, 

 which, on the principle of setting one thief to catch another, is 

 used by the negroes of Mauritius for their destruction. When 

 they perceive that the covered ways of the termites are ap- 

 proaching a building, they drop a train of syrup as far as the 

 nearest encampment of the hostile army. Some of the black 

 ants, attracted by the smell and taste of their favourite food, 

 follow its traces and soon find out the termite habitations. Im- 

 mediately part of them return to announce the welcome intelli- 



