360 EXPLANATORY INDE::^. 



large earth-mounds of the Cushi ant {(Ecodoma cephalotes), 

 and a band of these creatures got into the insect case, de- 

 posited their loads of earth, and then set to work to destroy- 

 all my small but choice collection in the most heartless 

 manner. They wei'e unable to carry off the insects, after 

 cutting them up, owing to the curved shape of the sides of the 

 box preventing their egress, and were thus neatly trapped." 



This insect is sometimes called by the name of Saiiba. 



AxT, Small Eed {Mijrmica scevissima). — This is popularly 

 called the Fire Ant, on account of the sharpness of its sting. 

 The same traveller, who trapped the coushies, himself fell a 

 victim to the Fire Ant : — 



"At this place I observed a tall, straight sapling, with a 

 regularly arranged style of branches in one or two sets near 

 its top. Taking a machete, or cutlass, I gave the tree a blow 

 with the intention of cutting it down, and was in the act of 

 raising my hand to deliver another, when I received two or 

 three sharp stings on the back of the neck, which felt like 

 sparks of fire, and produced such a demoralizing effect upon 

 my nerves, that I dropped the cutlass and fled. 



" I hastily raised my hand to my neck, and seized two or 

 three long-bodied, amber-coloured Ants, which had been dis- 

 lodged from the tree by the jar produced by the blow, and 

 had fallen upon me. These Ants always inhabit this kind of 

 tree, living at the base of its leaf-stalks. The j^ain did not 

 leave me for over an hour afterwards, and made me feel 

 exceedingly ruffled and wroth." 



Several travellers have told me that each sting feels like a 

 red-hot needle thrust into the skin, the only difference being 

 that the pain of the needle would soon die away, while that 

 of the sting remains. 



There is much more to be said about the Ants of Guiana, 

 but space is too limited for further description. 



Ants' nests in trees. — These are evidently Termites, so 

 generally miscalled White Ants. One of their nests is well 

 described by C. Kingsley : — 



