MASONS 89 



structures known as ant-hills or termitaria. These 

 are built of earth and excrement mixed with salivary- 

 secretions which cause the compost to set into a 

 mass of stony hardness. 



So strong are these erections — varying from a 

 height of a few feet to more than twenty feet — 

 that they are used as a guard post by bull buffaloes 

 keeping watch over the cows that feed around. 

 Sportsmen use them as safe towers from which they 

 can shoot big game in Africa, and Smeathman tells 

 how himself and four others used such an erection 

 as a look-out for passing ships. When the small 

 size of the Termites is compared with the height 

 of their buildings, we realize that these insects 

 were the original inventors of the " sky-scraper," 

 only the Termites are wiser and more artistic than 

 their human imitators, for they mostly build in 

 pyramidal form with a broad base instead of the 

 hideous straight-sided excrescences that mar the 

 sky-line in American cities. 



The form of the termitaria is varied by the 

 different species, and to some extent according to 

 situation. Some species scarcely come under the 

 designation of masons, since they construct nests 

 of more papery material on the upper branches of 

 trees. But of those that are indubitable masons 

 some roof their cities with cupolas, some favour 

 the Gothic style of architecture and run off into 

 innumerable spires. An Australian species — known 

 as the " Compass Ant " — builds wedge-shaped struc- 

 tures whose broad faces always look east and west. 



