on the sides of
their head. The other workers do not possess this peculiar frontal eye,
nor is it found in any other species of ant.

It is wonderful what extensive tunnels these ants will form. Near Rio
de Janeiro a tunnel was discovered, excavated by the creatures under the
River Parahiba, as broad as the Thames at London Bridge. Near Para
they, on one occasion, pierced the embankment of a large reservoir to
such an extent as to allow the escape of a vast body of water before the
damage could be repaired. In the same neighbourhood an attempt was made
to destroy their colonies, by blowing fumes of sulphur down the
galleries by means of bellows. Mr Bates relates, that he saw smoke
issuing from a vast number of outlets, one of which was seventy yards
distant from the place where the bellows were used.

They wander to a great distance in search of plunder, and enter houses
for the purpose of carrying off the farina or mandioca meal. The same
naturalist relates that he was one night awoke by his servant telling
him that rats were robbing the farina baskets. On listening, he was
certain that the noise was unlike that made by rats. On going to the
storeroom he there found a broad column of sauba ants, consisting of
thousands of individuals, passing to and fro between the door and his
baskets of meal. Most of those passing outwards were loaded each with a
grain of farina, larger and many times heavier than the bodies of the
carriers. The baskets, which were on a high table, were entirely
covered with ants, many hundreds of whom were employed in snipping the
dry leaves which served as a lining; and this had produced the rustling
sound which had disturbed him. He and his servant in vain attempted to
exterminate them by killing them with their wooden clogs. Fresh hosts
came on to take the place of the slain. The next night they returned,
when he attempted to get rid of them by laying trains of gunpowder along
their line to blow them up. Not, however, till he had repeated this
operation several times, did the survivors of the daring depredators
retreat.

THE AMPHISBAENA.

A curious snake, with something the character of the English slow-worm,
the amphisbaena--called by the natives Mai das Saubas, or the mother of
the saubas--is frequently found in these mounds. The natives believe
that the ants treat it with great affection, and will, if the snake is
removed, leave the spot. It is probable, however, that the a