315 
Insects of Ceylon. 
ant, the white ant, and the cockroach. Tliey speedily devour 
every thing which is exposed to their ravages ; and if at table 
one accidentally drops a bit of bread, meat, or any sort of 
food, it instantly appears in motion and animated, from a vast 
number of these creatures fastening upon it, to carry it off. 
It is impossible by any contrivance to prevent them from invad- 
ing the table, and settling in swai’iiis on the bread, sugar, and 
such things as are particularly agreeable to their palate. It is 
not uncommon to see a cup of tea, upon being filled out, 
completely covered with these creatures, floating dead upon it 
like a scum. 
But the most mischievous species of these vermin is the wliite 
ant, which is equally destructive in the fields and the dwelling- 
houses. They build their nests of a very fine clay, which they 
throw up in large mounds, and carefully prepare for the pur- 
pose. It is made into such an excellent cement, that as sooii 
as it is dried up by the rays of the sun, it becomes so hard 
that it requires great exertion even with a pick-axe to level 
the heaps. The ant-hills are often from six to eight feet high, 
and have large openings both at the top and around the sides 
to serve for entrances and communications^. They often serve as 
a receptacle to much more dangerous animals, such as scorpions, 
and the covra capello snake ; on which account the natives arc 
careful never to lie down or fall asleep near the ant-hills. The 
white-ants, in the space of one night, will demolish and eat 
up all the boots, shoes, and bottoms of trunks which come in 
their way, or are left on the ground. This is never done but 
by the carelessness of the black servants. In camp, tlie fur- 
niture of the tents is placed on inverted bottles, with their 
necks planted in the ground, which, on account of tlie slippery 
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