THE SUGAR-ANT. 413 



these roots that was not inhabited, though some 

 were not bigger than an hazel nut. The animals 

 themselves are very small, not more than half as big 

 as the common red Ant in England. They had 

 stings, but scarcely force enough to make them felt : 

 they had, however, a power of tormenting us in an 

 equal if not in a greater degree ; for the moment 

 we handled the root they swarmed from innumerable 

 holes, and, running about those parts of the body 

 that were uncovered, produced a titillation more in- 

 tolerable than pain, except it is increased to great 

 violence*". 



THE SUGAR-ANTf. 



These Ants, which took their name from their 

 ruinous effects on the sugar-cane, first made their 

 appearance in Grenada about thirty years ago, on a 

 sugar plantation at Petit Havre, a bay five or six 

 miles from the town of St. George. From thence 

 they continued to extend themselves on all sides, 

 for several years ; destroying in succession every 

 sugar-plantation between St. George's and St. 

 John's, a space of about twelve miles. At the 

 same time colonies of them began to be observed in 

 other parts of the island. 



All attempts of the planters to put a stop to the 

 ravages of these insects having been found ineffec- 

 tual, an act was passed by the legislature, by which 



# Hawkesworth's Account of Cook's first Voyage, 

 t Formica saccharivora. Lin*. 



