278 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



alarm should prove to be without foundation, the victory won, 

 or danger jjassed, the arch is quickly renewed, and the main 

 column marches forward as before, in all the order of an intel- 

 lectual military discipline.' 



Sometimes, as is usual in tropical countries, the rain descends 

 like a flood, converting in a few minutes whole tracts of country 

 into a temporary lake. The dwellings of the Driver Ant are 

 immediately deluged, and, but for a remarkable instinct which 

 is implanted in the insects, most of the Ants, and all the future 

 brood, would perish. As soon as the water encroaches upon 

 their premises, they run together and agglomerate themselves 

 into balls, the weakest (or the ' women and children,' as the 

 natives call them) being in the middle, and the large and power- 

 ful insects on tlie outside. These balls are much lighter than 

 water, and consequently float on the surface, until the floods 

 retire and the insects can resume their place on dry land. 



The size of the ant-balls is various ; but they are, on an 

 average, as large as a full-sized cricket-ball. One of these curi- 

 ous balls was cleverly caught in a handkerchief, put in a vessel, 

 and sent to Mr. F. Smith, of the British Museum, who has 

 kindly presented me with several specimens of the insect. 



When a colony of these insects has been established near a 

 house, the inhabitants naturally endeavour to destroy it. The 

 habitation is very simple and artless, and generally consists of a 

 mere hole in a rock or bank, in which the creatures assemble. 

 They are very fond of usurping the sepulchres of the dead, 

 which are usually excavated in the sides of hills, and are about 

 eighteen inches in depth. 



The natives generally try to destroy the colony by heaping 

 dry leaves of the palm upon the dwelling, and setting fire 

 to the heap. When this plan was tried, it was found to be 

 very unsatisfactory; for the greater mass of the insects contrived 

 to make their escape, and were found upon neighbouring trees, 

 clinging in heavy bunches and long festoons, which connected 

 one branch with another, and formed ladders over which the 

 insects could pass. These festoons were made in a very curious 

 manner. 



