74 
STRANGE DWELLINGS. 
I have felt considerable doubt whether the Sauba, or 
Coushie Ant ( (Ecodoma cephalotes ), ought to be reckoned 
among the burrowers or the builders, inasmuch as it makes 
large excavations below the ground, and raises dome-like 
edifices on its surface. As, however, the burrows are very 
much larger than the buildings, I shall place it with the former 
class, reserving for the corresponding example of the building- 
insects the Termites, whose edifices are more important than 
their burrows. It must first be mentioned that, although this 
species has often been described as the Visiting Ant, it is in 
reality a distinct species, as will be seen in the course of a few 
pages. 
The Sauba Ant is restricted to tropical America, where it 
exists in such vast profusion, that it oftentimes takes forcible 
possession of the land, and drives out the human inhabitants 
who have cultivated and planted it. Broad columns of these 
ants may be seen marching along, each individual carrying in 
its jaws a circular piece of leaf, about the size of a sixpence, 
which is held vertically by one of its edges. In the British 
Museum there is a specimen of a Sauba Ant, with the leaf still 
grasped in its jaws, the ruling passion strong in death. From 
this curious habit the creature is sometimes called the Parasol 
Ant, and many persons have thought that the leaves are carried 
in order to protect the insect against the hot sunbeams. The 
real reason, however, has been discovered by Mr. H. W. Bates, 
who has studied with great care the habits of this remarkable 
insect, and has disentangled its .history from many doubts and 
difficulties. 
There are, as is usual with all ants, three distinct ranks 
—namely, the winged, the large-headed, or soldiers, as they 
are popularly called, and the ordinary workers. The large- 
headed individuals are sub-divided into two classes, namely, 
the smooth-heads and rough-heads, the former wearing a 
polished, horny, translucent helmet, and the head of the latter 
being opaque and covered with hair. The large-headed ants 
do no ostensible work, all the labour falling to the lot of the 
workers. These creatures make raids upon the trees, always , 
