The Hillsborough Recorder

From Walsh's Museum of Foreign Literature and Science.

On the White and Black Ants of India.

The following observations on the habits of two species of Indian Ants, were communicated by a person who resided some time in India. They are more worthy of attention, because they tend 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:

"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 walls 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 a part of the wall behind was hollow. From this I concluded that there was a nest of ants lodged in it; and on looking narrowly, I heard a sound produced by a rapid succession of strokes, a mimic alarm beat, and immediately a great number of white ants came to the place, with their mouths filled with wet mud, with which they repaired the breach in a few minutes. I hear whole proceedings were so curious and interesting, that I frequently amused myself by 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 large 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, engaged in examining a dead insect, with hair powder. They retreated 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 in their scouts. I have also observed the black ants removing from one place to another, in a large body, marching in a regular column, except a few who seemed to act as overseers. These last marched on each side of the large body, and occasionally turned back when any thing deranged the line of march; and they never failed to hasten the advance of the loiterers."