ANTS. 



:>l 



bers ; and when I have observed them, it has 

 been near to where sugar is kept, running to 

 and fro without any settled path, and seemingly 

 without any plan of operations. Their bite is 

 still more painful than that of the red ant. 



The ants were not my only persecutors at 

 Itamaraca, for these were assisted by the copim 

 (termes arborum), who build their enormous 

 nests, called in Brazil panellas (pots), among the 

 rafters of houses, which they destroy in the course 

 of time ; and likewise they form their settle- 

 ments upon trees. They oftentimes made their 

 covered ways along the white-washed walls of 

 my house, or up the door posts ; but I took 

 every precaution against them, which was more 

 particularly necessary in this instance, as my 

 dwelling was not built of the best kinds of 

 timber. I was advised to besmear the places in 

 which they persisted in attempting to build 

 with treacle, and I found that this was success- 

 ful in making them alter their proceedings. It 

 is well known in that country by all those per- 

 sons who have paid any attention to the sub- 

 ject, that there are certain kinds of timber 

 which are more liable to be attacked by these 

 insects than others. However, a person who 

 was about to build a house, chose to think that 

 the distinction which the carpenters made in 

 the several kinds of timber which they recom- 

 mended him to obtain, either proceeded from 



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