AS FOUND IN SOUTHEBN INDIA. 101 



branch of the fork measured 1| inch ; all the other branches that 

 protruded through the nest were much smaller. 



The structure was made up of a fine mixture of cowdung and 

 leaves of various kinds ; but the outside was well smeared with 

 cowdung, and honeycombed with tile-like appendages, which, 

 whilst they permitted the free ventilation of the interior, at the 

 same time, by a slight projection of the scale-like eaves, rendered 

 the nest impervious to rain. 



The interior was composed of irregularly tunnelled cells, com- 

 prising nurseries, stores, &c. 



At Tercand, on the Shervaroys, I on one occasion procured 

 two nests of small size (about that of a medium-sized cocoa-nut 

 with the husk on) from two different _ coffee shrubs, and placed 

 them one on either side of a window-sill in a bath-room, in the 

 hope of watching their habits. 



It was amusing to witness the threatening attitudes these 

 diminutive creatures put on, with their abdomens flexed over 

 their back or thorax, and their mandibles extended. They ran 

 to and fro in a state of excitement in search of the enemy, on 

 whom, when found, they at once advanced, and used their ex- 

 panded jaws to such purpose as to cause extreme pain to the 

 individual attacked. Considering their small size, the ferocity 

 and undaunted courage they exhibited, and their readiness to 

 attack man or beast who approached them were very remark- 

 able. It was late one evening when I placed the nests in 

 the window ; early next morning I returned to see how they 

 were, and, to my great astonishment, the window-sill was com- 

 pletely covered with dead and dying ants. On further examina- 

 tion I found that a battle had taken place between the inhabitants 

 of the two nests ; and so ferocious were the little creatures, that 

 I found nrimbers even in death clinging to each other ; and the 

 battle had been so vigorously contested that the survivors were 

 but few in number. The victors were already busily engaged in 

 plundering the nest of the vanquished of its cocoons, and carrying 

 them off to their own.- I regretted extremely that I had lost the 

 opportunity of witnessing so interesting a sight as this battle 

 must have been ; and as I had to leave the place a few days after, 

 I had no opportunity of procuring another nest. I examined 

 numerous deserted and broken-down nests, and found that all of 

 these had been taken possession of by one or more millepedes, or 

 lulus. Whether these animals had destroyed the ants and taken 



