Ants and Termites. 



In one part several upright partitions formed the scaf- 

 folding of a lodge which communicated with a number 

 of corridors by openings in the masonry ; in another 

 place there was a regularly formed hall, with numerous 

 pillars sustaining its vaulted ceiling. Farther on it was 

 possible to recognize the plan of one of those squares 

 of which we have spoken before, in which several avenues 

 terminate, and these were the most spacious parts of the 

 ant-hill ; yet the work of constructing a ceiling to cover 

 them in did not appear to cause the labourers any embar- 

 rassment, even though the spaces were often two inches 

 or more in breadth. The first foundations of such a 

 ceiling were laid in the angles formed by the upper part 

 of the different walls, and from the top of each pillar, 

 as from so many centres, a horizontal and slightly con- 

 vex layer of earth was carried forward to meet the 

 several portions coming from different points of the 

 large public thoroughfare. The parcels of moistened 

 earth, which are only held together by contact, seem 

 to require a fall of rain to cement them more closely, 

 and to varnish over, as it were, the ceilings they com- 

 pose and the walls and galleries which are not yet 

 covered in. Then- all unevenness of the masonry is 

 removed, and the upper part of the stories, composed 

 of so many separate parts brought together, presents 

 a united layer of compact earth which requires nothing 

 but the heat of the sun to make it perfectly solid. The 

 busy crowd of masons arriving from all parts with the 

 load of concrete they wish to add to the building, the 

 order they observe in their operations, the prevailing 

 harmony, and the eagerness with which they avail 

 themselves of the rain to increase the height of their 



107 



