VARIOUS INSECTS EATEN AS FOOD. 371 



a number of flies of an uncommon aspect, flitting past 

 the tent. We started up and endeavoured to catch one 

 of them, but without effect. Some Hottentot children, 

 who were standing on an oppo.site bank, remarking our 

 anxiety, came and offered us whole handfuls of them, 

 and directing us to the spot where they had caught them ; 

 our astonishment is not to be expressed when we beheld 

 millions of winged insects issuing into daylight from 

 fissures in the earth, and through the pores as it were of 

 the ground where no opening was perceptible. Near 

 these outlets the children had posted themselves, and 

 collecting the insects as they emerged, greedily devoured 

 them. Such of them as escaped the Hottentots weie 

 snapped up as they flew along by the small birds and by 

 the Libelluke and other predatory flies. The body of 

 these tiny insects is so small and the wings are so large 

 and unwieldy, that they could hardly support themselves 

 in the air, as they floated along at the humour of the 

 breeze. They were the males of the Termes capensis, 

 commonly known as the white ant." 



1 have discoursed with several gentlemen (says 

 Smeathman) upon the taste of the white ants, and on 

 comparing notes we have always agreed that they are 

 most delicious and delicate eating. One gentleman com- 

 pared them to sugared marrow, another to sugared cream 

 and a paste of sweet almonds. 



In some parts of the East Indies the natives catch the 

 winged insects just before their period of emigration, in 

 the following manner. They make two holes, the one to 

 the windward, the other to the leeward ; at the leeward 

 opening they place the mouth of a pot, the inside of 

 which has been previously rubbed with an aromatic herb, 

 called Bergera ; on the windward side they make a fire 

 of stinking materials, which not only drives these insects 

 but frequently the hooded snakes also into the pots, on 

 which account they are obliged to be cautious in remov- 

 ing them. By this method they catch great quantities, 

 of which they make with flour a variety of pastry that 

 they can afford to sell very cheap to the poorer ranks of 



PI n 9 



