THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 83 



myriads of animated tilings, all basking in the same 

 sunlight that enticed ns forth ; when a locust strikes 

 his lyre, and the mind is turned from its contempla- 

 tion of the music of insects, to the rough grating of 

 the scissor-grinder. 



As we walk along we come upon a path eight or 

 ten inches wide, and perfectly clear of vegetable 

 matter ; and on observing, it will be found traversed 

 by great numbers of ants, either black or white, and 

 nearly all going one way, bearing burdens, probably 

 a piece of green leaf the size of a dime, and upon 

 this, perhaps, one or more smaller ants, while the 

 travellers in the other direction will be after the same. 

 Interrupt, or in any way obstruct this thoroughfare, 

 and the little creatures will first come up on each 

 side, and after surveying the obstacle, turn back, 

 and communicating with those they meet, a force 

 will soon be collected, which will set to work and 

 remove, or prepare a new way by the obstruction. 

 Following the laden ants we come to a rivulet, and 

 along this to where a tree has fallen across, we 

 must find our way, for our pioneers have made a 

 bridge of it, and thus for many rods may we be led 

 along, until at last, perhaps, they climb a tree, and 

 leave us to view their habitation suspended from a 

 branch far above our reach, or else we find ourselves 

 beside a mound with towers, or unequal elevations. 

 If curiosity predominates over humanity, we will 

 carefully cut this down through the centre with a 

 machete, and moving one half away, we shall find 

 near the middle and at the bottom, a large cell con- 



