Con esp 07 ide?ice, Notes, etc.



377



education for natives lias not yet, thank goodness, become a law in this

country, and one could employ small native children at an infinitesimal

sum to collect the insects. Of course one would not need to use preserved

insects in this country, but one hopes to return to one’s native land sooner

or later, and then the insects would be invaluable.


We call these insects “ flying white ants” but I am sure the name is

quite incorrect. W. Tweedie, Captain,


Poona, India . August io th, 1905. 92 nd Highlanders.


The following reply has been sent to Captain Tweedie:


You are probably aware that the so-called ‘White Ants’ of the

tropics belong to a different Order of Insects from the true ants, although

in their social pecularities they much resemble them. Young Termites (as

White Ants are called scientifically) are active creatures somewhat

approaching the adult insect in form ; so that your expression ‘the young’

is not inappropriate : but true ants at the same stage are like white maggots.


I see no reason why the soft-bodied young of Termites should not be

preserved in bottles with syrup, after the manner of preserved fruits.


The adult insects which emerge from holes in the ground after rain,

are, I should think, males and females of true ants, which only use their

wings during the short pairing flight and then lose them permanently.

With us the common garden ant swarms about the middle of August; and

thousands are eaten by our wild insectivorous birds : these insects would, I

think, be more satisfactory preserved by drying in a slow oven ; and, from

their rather pleasant smell of formic acid, would certainly be preferable to

the evil-smelling water-bugs known as Dried Flies. A. G. BuTEER.



THE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN BIRDS.


Sir, —At the discussion of one of the last papers read before the

late International Ornithological Congress, I gave expression to some

thoughts concerning Foreign Cage Birds.


A little further elucidation of what I meant to say, may perhaps

interest some of your readers.


I11 some of the daily papers I was incorrectly reported to have

advocated the suppression of the trade in African Finches.


What I did advocate was the suppression of the evils resulting from

overtrading in cage birds and especially in those of African origin.


I mean by overtrading the capture of multitudes of small birds and

parrots in the Colonies, and shipping the poor things to Europe in over¬

crowded cages and without proper care during the voyage.


The object of the trader is to put as much of this living merchandise

on board the steamers at the lowest price possible. The more closely the

birds are packed, the less cubic space their cages will occuoy on the ships,

hence so much less freight will the shipment of .some hundreds of



