EAST AIRTCAN INSECTS. 1027 



any small insect which they can overpower, and to-day I found 

 a small toad {Biifo regularis) being actually dragged along by 

 a liost of these ants, which so obscured their burden that until I 

 had picked it up and shaken them oft" T could not tell what it 

 was. These ants cause the natives considerable annoyance by 

 biting their bare legs. (Morogoro, 12.ii. 17.) 



57. CEcopjiYLLA SMAUAGDiNA F. This long-legged, somewhat 

 transparent-bodied, yellow ant fastens leaves together to form its 

 nest, and should one brush against the branch bearing the nest, 

 the occupants rush out and stand quivering all over it. whilst 

 ■others hui^ry off with open jaws to seek the disturber of their 



peace and soon cover all the foliage; when they get upon a 

 })erson they bite savagely, moi-e often on the neck tl\an elsewhere. 

 Their favourite tree is the mango, upon whose fallen fruits they 

 feed; they also eat paupau ; I have never seen them carrying 

 insects. They nest in Javanese silk-cotton trees, which bear 

 leaves that seem to be suitable for their purpose. (Kilosa^ 

 21.V. 22.) 



58. DoRYLUS (Anomma), probably nigricans lllig. The siafn, 

 to whom I have referred elsewhere*, have few enemies. One 

 morning I shot one of those timid creatures, nn elephant shrew 

 (Petrocb-omus nigriseta), beside a column of ants, which were 

 crossing a bush-path at 6 a.m. To my surprise, on opening 

 the stomach of the shreAv, I found it to contain a number of 

 these pests. (Morogoro, 12. vi. 17.) 



59. DorytjUS helvolus L. On no fewer than three occasions 

 my attention was drawn to amphisbaenids {Monoj)eltis colobura), 

 which had been attacked underground by these fierce ants and 

 so tortured that the}"- came to the surface, on one occasion at 

 2.15 p.m., when the sun beat fiercely upon the scorching sand — 

 conditions which these burrowing lizards detest. This species 

 of ant will attack any freshly-killed body from underneath, but 

 appears to hate the light, and never exj)oses itself. (Lumbo, 

 l.ix. 18.) 



60. CAMroNOTUs (Orthonotomyrmex) sericeus F. One of 

 these greyish ants, which are very common in the house and seem 

 to be much addicted to jam, was carrying a spider along the floor. 

 I picked up another carrying a small chrysid. (Kilosa, 1. xii. 20.) 



61. Oamponotus sp. I believe it was one of the many species 

 of this genus which disturbed me when lying down beneath a 

 giant tree to sleep, rolled up in my blanket ; they invaded me 

 in hundreds and were about half an inch in length. Unfortu- 

 nately, when turning over, I imprisoned one betv^een my cheek 

 and pillow, and received a severe nip. (Ngeri-ngeri, 24. viii. 16.) 



I noticed an ant in my tent to-day which appeared peculiar, 

 -and on examination it proved to have the head and thorax of 



* Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1922, p. xxxiii 



