370 ANIMAL B'OOD RESOUBCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



together by sticking the mid -rib of each into the 

 one above it. A very small entrance is left open at 

 the bottom, and under this is dug a round hole a foot in 

 diameter, and two feet deep. When the winged ants 

 come out of the hill ready to migrate, they all make for 

 this entrance and hustle each other into the hole, where 

 they lose their wings, and are unable to get out. In the 

 morning they are collected by the natives, who smoke 

 them over slow fires to preserve them." 



The small white bodies which ants are sometim.es seen 

 to carry are commonly but erroneously called ant eggs. 

 They are in fact the larvae (small worms or maggots) and 

 the chrysalis, the young of the ants in various stages of 

 growth. 



The Digger tribe of Indians of California and the 

 Plains feed upon ants, catching them by spreading a 

 damped skin or fresh peeled bark over their hills, which 

 immediately attracts the inhabitants to its surface. 

 When filled, the cover is carefully removed and the 

 adhering insects shaken into a tight sack, where they 

 are confined until dead, and are then thoroughly sun- 

 dried and laid away. Bushels are thus gathered 

 annually, and are not more offensive than snakes, lizards, 

 and crickets, which the tribe also eat. * 



The Marquis de Compiegne, in his work on " Equa- 

 torial Africa," states that there is a small red ant called 

 ntchongou which the Pahouins eat boiled. 



When roasted the termites are said to be palatable as 

 food, and as such to be highly esteemed by the natives 

 in Central Africa. A Bayeye chief who paid a cere- 

 monial visit to Dr. Livingstone's camp, was offered some 

 bread and apricot jam. " Did you ever eat anything so 

 good ? " inquired the doctor. " Ah," responded the chief, 

 " you should try roast white ants." 



Capt. Carmichael thus speaks of them in a published 

 work : — " One evening, it was I think about the middle of 

 May, as we sat enjoying ourselves at dinner, we observed 



* "Keport of Com. of Agriculture, 1870," p. 426. Washington. 



