20 
Jan., 1880. 
“THE NATURALIST IN NICARAGUA." 
The author’s observations on ants are simply marvellous. 
Three forms were specially studied: the foraging ants (Eciton 
hamata and E.predator), the leaf-cutting ants^ (Ecodoma - ?), 
and a curious parasitic form peculiar to the “bull’s horn 
thorn ” (Pseudomyrma bicolor). Darwin has already shown, in 
the “Descent of Man,” that the cerebral ganglia in ants are 
more developed than in any other insect, and in the Hymen- 
optera. of which they stand foremost, they are many times 
larger than in the less intelligent orders, such as beetles. 
Belt draws an interesting parallel between the Hymenoptera 
and the Mammalia, and points out that they both make their 
first appearance early in the Secondary geological period, but 
that it is not until the commencement of the Tertiary period 
that ants and monkeys appear. The parallel ends here, as no 
species of ant has attained great superiority over its fellows, 
while Man lias advanced far above all other Primates. With 
this explanation, light is thrown on the proceedings of the 
ants. Respecting the foraging ants, it is mentioned as a 
curious analogy that, like the primitive races of mankind, 
they have to change their hunting grounds when one is 
exhausted and move on to another. In the capture of their 
prey they exhibited a well-planned system. Moving in dense 
masses three or four yards wide, and so numerous as to 
blacken the ground, “smaller columns would first flush the 
game—cockroaches, spiders, and other insects”—which, in 
the confusion, would sometimes bound into the middle of the 
mass, soon to be overpowered, bitten to pieces, limb from 
limb, and ultimately carried to the rear. Curious instances 
are recorded of the efforts of some of the victims to escape. 
In these the spiders exhibited the greatest intelligence, some¬ 
times putting a good distance between them and their foes, at 
other times hanging suspended from a branch by a silken thread. 
Leaf insects feigned death sometimes. Ultimately the whole 
ground invaded, up even to the extremities of the twigs of 
the trees, would be cleared of every living insect, not too 
large to escape. The ant army is usually followed by a 
number of birds—ant-thruslies, trogons, creepers, and others 
—waiting on the trees, or pursuing and catching the insects 
that flv up. Among the ants, in addition to the dark-coloured 
workers and light-coloured officers, there are larger individuals 
“ with enormous jaws.” These are usually concealed, directing 
the others, and only appearing when danger arises. As to 
the leaf-cutting ants, their ceaseless pertinacity in the spolia¬ 
tion of the trees—more particularly of introduced species— 
their devastation of young plantations of orange, lemon, and 
mango trees, all this and more is told. The columns of these 
