A\T:i. 



4,9 



of both parties ; but notwithstanding that the 

 number of black ants which are engaged is 

 always much greater than that of the red ant, 

 still I observed that the slain of the latter always 

 out-numbered the former. * 



The house in which I resided at Jaguaribe, 

 had been in former times a barn in which the 

 sugar was put into chests for exportation ; and 

 I had heard from the neighbours that the ants 

 about it w r ere numerous ; and particularly a 

 small black ant called the formiga douda, or 

 foolish ant, owing to its not appearing to have 

 any track, but to wander about the spot upon 

 which the horde has appeared, running fast to 

 and fro, and irregularly. These are distinguished 

 from the black ant of the orange trees by this 

 name of douda. One evening I had been 

 asleep in my hammock, and was not a little 

 surprised on waking, to see that part of the 

 wall opposite to me, which was white-washed, 

 appeared to be covered with a piece of black 

 cloth ; I got up and approached it with the 

 lamp in my hand. I soon saw what it was, 

 and could not help shuddering, for the sight, 

 I may say, was horrible ; myriads of these ants 

 were marching along the wall, and their num. 



* In the Nouvelle Relation de la France Equinuxiale, by 

 Pierre Barrere, I find that the great red ant is as trouble- 

 some in the neighbourhood of Cayenne as in the part of 

 South America which I visited. P. 60, 

 VOL. II. - E 



