LOVE AND COURTSHIP 35 
point of view—come from the nests or heaps of the 
great wood-ants, either the black or the red ants. 
These are mounds of fir-needles, being, in many 
instances, as large at the bottom in circumference 
as a waggon wheel, and from two to three feet in 
height ; even larger where they are very old ones. 
They are found in fir woods, on the warm, sunny 
slopes under the trees, as a rule pretty close to the 
stems of the trees. The partridges and their chicks 
do not visit these heaps, for they would get bitten to 
death by the ferocious creatures. The keepers and 
their lads procure the eggs of these, and a nice job it 
is. A wood-pick, a sack, and a shovel are the imple- 
ments required for the work. Round the men’s 
gaiters or trousers leather straps are tightly buckled, 
to prevent, if possible, the great ants from fixing on 
them, as they will try to do, like bulldogs when the 
heaps are harried. The top of the heap is shovelled 
off, laying open the domestic arrangements of the ant- 
heap, and showing also the alarmed and furious ants 
trying to carry off their large eggs to a place of safety ; 
but it is all in vain. Eggs and all they go into the 
sack. In spite of every precaution, the ant-egg 
getters do get bitten severely, for the ants would fix 
anything.’ } 
1 Pall Mall Magazine. 
