Ants and Termites. 



Saiiba Ants are a truly wonderful race ; for they are 

 not only expert builders and excavators, but are equally 

 skilled in the knowledge of intensive culture. 



The late Mr. H. W. Bates, who spent so many years 

 investigating the teeming insect and animal life of the 

 Amazons, had unique opportunities of observing the 

 habits of the different species of ants, and in his charm- 

 ing book on his wanderings and adventures he gives 

 many graphic descriptions of these insects. While the 

 Saiiba Ants would appear to be vegetarian in their 

 habits, the true Foraging Ants, or Ecitons, the Tauocas 

 of the Indians, are carnivorous ants, fearless and aggres- 

 sive, hunting in vast armies, exciting terror wherever 

 they go. While some of these Ecitons have their visual 

 organs fully developed, one can trace step by step* 

 through different species the gradual atrophy of the 

 eye, until both socket and eye have disappeared. It 

 is interesting to find that with the loss of sight these 

 insects take to a subterranean existence. Connecting 

 those Ecitons in which the organs of sight are devel- 

 oped with the utterly blind species " is a very stout- 

 limbed Eciton," writes Mr. Bates, " whose eyes are 

 sunk in rather deep sockets. This ant goes on for- 

 aging expeditions like the rest of its tribe, and attacks 

 even the nests of other stinging species (Myrmicd) ; 

 but it avoids the light, always moving in concealment 

 under leaves and fallen branches. When its columns 

 have to cross a cleared space, the ants construct a tem- 

 porary covered way with granules of earth, arched over, 

 and holding together mechanically ; under this the 

 procession passes in secret, the indefatigable creatures 

 repairing their arcade as fast as breaches are made in 



in 



