224 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



African ants Black ant of South America. 



pleasure devour these insects, first nipping off 

 their heads and wings. The flavour, according 

 to his account, was an acid somewhat resem- 

 bling, though much more agreeable than that of 

 a lemon. 



The African ants are said never to be torpid ; 

 but that they build their nests with a dexterity, 

 ]ay up provisions, and submit to regulations en- 

 tirely unknown among those of Europe. They 

 are in every respect a much more formidable 

 race, anil are of three kinds, red, green, and 

 black. Their stings produce insupportable pain, 

 and their depredations do infinite mischief. 

 Sheep, hens, and even rats, by loitering too near 

 their habitations, are often destroyed by them. 



The great black ant of South America, stings 

 or bites almost as bad as a scorpion ; and next 

 to this the small yellow ant's bite is most painful: 

 for their sting is like a spark of fire; and they 

 are so thick among the boughs in some places 

 that one shall be covered with them before he is 

 aware. These creatures have nests on great 

 trees, placed on the body between the limbs ; 

 some of their nests are as big as a hogshead. 

 This is their winter habitation ; for in the wet 

 season they all repair to these their cities, where 

 they preserve their eggs. In the dry season, 

 when they leave their nests, they swarm all over 

 the woodlands; for they never trouble the savan- 

 nahs: great paths, three or four inches broad, 

 made by them, may be seen in the woods. They 



