Natural Hidory. — Zoology. 307 
.lend to confirm some of the most interesting facts mentioned by 
Smeathman and others, whose narratives have been suspected 
of exaggeration ; and were made by a lady, who was wholly 
unacquainted with the writings of these authors : 
u The White Ant * * of India is particularly fond of burrowing 
in the mud walls of the Indian houses. My attention was one 
morning attracted by the appearance of a wet spot on the 
coloured wall of my apartment, at a season, and in a situation, 
to preclude the supposition of this having been occasioned by 
rain, or by accident. This led me to examine the spot, and, on 
slightly touching it, the plaster gave way, and I discovered 
that a part of the wall behind was hollow. From this I con- 
cluded that there was a nest of ants lodged in it ; and, on look- 
ing narrowly, I heard a sound produced by a rapid succession 
of strokes, a mimic alarm-beat , and immediately a great num- 
ber of white ants came to the place, with their mouths filled 
with wet mud, with which they repaired the breach in a few mi- 
nutes. Their whole proceedings were so curious and interest- 
ing, that I frequently amused myself with pulling down what 
they repaired, and observed that there was always an alarm 
beat before they came to build it up. 
“ I have been highly amused with the conduct of the Black 
Ants-|*, animals much more daring, though less destructive, 
than the white ones. I have often observed, that when one or 
two of them found a large dead insect, or any such substance, 
too big for them to carry off, that they would go away, and soon 
return with a number of their species sufficient for the purpose, 
A gentleman several times sprinkled one or two black ants, en- 
gaged in examining a dead insect, with hair-powder. They re- 
treated, and soon after he saw his powdered acquaintances at 
the head of a large column of ants, marching to secure the 
prize, which had been discovered by their scouts. I have also 
observed the black ants removing from one place to another in 
a large body, marching in a very regular column, excepting a 
few, who seemed to act as overseers. These last marched on 
each side of the large body, and occasionally turned back, when 
* The White Ant of India is Termcs bellicosus, Linn. 
*h The Black Ant of India appears, from description, to be the Formica elonguta «, 
Linn. 
