278 TROPICAL NATURE Il 
some day be valued as one of the most important branches of 
biological science.” ? 
Next after the butterflies in importance, as giving an air 
of life and interest to tropical nature, we must place the birds ; 
but to avoid unnecessary passage, to and fro, among unrelated 
groups, it will be best to follow on with a sketch of such 
other groups of insects as from their numbers, variety, habits, 
or other important features, attract the attention of the 
traveller from colder climates. We begin then with a group 
which, owing to their small size and obscure colours, would 
attract little attention, but which nevertheless, by the 
universality of their presence, their curious habits, and the 
annoyance they often cause to man, are sure to force them- 
selves upon the attention of every one who visits the tropics. 
Ants, Wasps, and Bees 
The hymenopterous insects of the tropics are, next to the 
butterflies, those which come most prominently before the 
traveller, as they love the sunshine, frequent gardens, houses, 
and roadways as well as the forest shades, never seek conceal- 
ment, and are many of them remarkable for their size or 
form, or are adorned with beautiful colours and conspicuous 
markings. Although ants are, perhaps, on the whole, the 
smallest and the least attractive in appearance of all tropical 
insects, yet, owing to their being excessively abundant and 
almost omnipresent, as well as on account of their curious 
habits and the necessity of being ever on the watch against 
their destructive powers, they deserve our first notice. 
Ants are found everywhere. They abound in houses, 
some living underground, others in the thatched roofs, on the 
under surface of which they make their nests, while covered 
ways of earth are often constructed upon the posts and doors. 
In the forests they live on the ground, under leaves, on the 
branches of trees, or under rotten bark ; while others actually 
dwell in living plants, which seem to be specially modified so 
as to accommodate them. Some sting severely, others only 
bite ; some are quite harmless, others exceedingly destructive. 
The number of different kinds is very great. In India and 
the Malay Archipelago nearly 500 different species have been 
1 Bates, The Naturalist on the River Amazons, 2d ed., p. 418, 
