The Zoologist— November, 1867. 997 



furniture is made), babool {Acacia spinosa), umultas (Acacia fistula), 

 the banian and peepul (Ficus Indicus and F. religiosa), and a few 

 others. Although no colony or city of white ants is visible anywhere 

 near, still they make their appearance in one night under any piece of 

 dry wood or leather thrown on the ground, and oftentimes the earth is 

 covered with their branched tunnels, so that it would appear the earth 

 is full of them, unconnected with their cities, which may be only their 

 breeding- places. There must be some very quickening process in the 

 state of the atmosphere when the rain falls, as the winged ants look 

 much too fresh and new to have been born even a few hours before 

 they make their exit from the earth, which takes place at the same 

 time all over the country where the rain has fallen. If it were not for 

 the very many enemies the white ants have at their flight-time — every 

 kind of bird, spiders, frogs, toads, lizards all pitch into them — they 

 would increase in such numbers that not a tree would grow in many 

 parts of India. The black ants take off numbers of them to their nests. 

 I have timed them carrying off the winged white ants at the rate of 

 eighty and eighty-three a minute. 



Sealkote, Punjaub, August 27, 1867. 



T. F. NoRGATE. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



' Letters Home from Spain, Algeria and Brazil, during past 

 Entomological Rambles.'' By the Rev. Hamlet Clark, M.A., 

 F.L.S. 178 pp. demy 8vo, and two coloured lithographs. 

 London: Van Voorst. 1867. 



This work required a short introductory chapter, which the sur- 

 viving brother or some friend of the lamented author might readily 

 have supplied. As it is the work comes before us in a crude and 

 therefore unsatisfactory state. The objection, however, disappears as 

 we turn the pages and accompany Mr. Clark in his wanderings, and 

 a very pleasant companionship it is. The title defines with sufficient 

 accuracy the countries visited; and the information respecting them 

 is imparted in letters addressed from time to time to friends at home, 

 — one to Dr. Power, two to myself, and all the others to a beloved 

 father. They abound in kindly feeling and a keen appreciation of the 

 beauty of the natural objects which continually presented themselves. 

 There is a buoyant and unvarying determination to enjoy exhibited in 

 almost every page, and this is combined with a just and intelligent 

 appreciation of all the author saw. 



