Watching Nature at War

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1922, Page 4

Watching Nature at War

(By Leo Walmsley, M.C., F.R.G.S. of j Sir Curtis Lnmpson’s Expedition to Senegal). I DAKAR. I We are camped in a plantation on the out skills of Dakar a seaport iii French West Africa) making final preparations for the great trek to Tinibnetoo. Already there is abundant proof that. Senegal is a paradise for the naturalist. Within twenty yards of my tent l have seen slick-insects, termites ; white “ants”), bind-crabs, soldier ants, locusts, a mongoose, myriads of beetles, spiders, butterflies —and, of course —mosquitoes. I, think J know all 1 want to know about mosquitoes, also about termites. :

A brand-new suitcase was left on the ground last night by accident. Ihe termites must have liked the taste of it. They left only the locks and the sieel frame.

1 am praying now that a company of soldier ants stationed near by "ill Tuobilise and come to my rescue. It is :i wonderful sight to see these little j.;jmps marching in column across the veld, breaking into mass when they encounter the wretched termites, carrying out their onslaught,-‘'and' then - forming up again, each with a bundle of enemy between his mandibles.

My tent has been up only a week, yet already an ichneumon wasp has taken possession of a darkish spot near the top of the pole. He is a queer-looking fellow, with his jet-black body, dainty waist, and narrow, heavy wings!

He began by bringing a few tiny pellets of wet earth from the edge of the well. Having secured these to the canvas and moulded them to his satisfaction, Ik* fetched a caterpillar, stuck it well down, ami proceeded to cover it up with more pellets. The poor brute is now practically hidden, yet it still lives.

The wasp has laid an egg, or eggs, inside its bodv, and when 'these'hatch they will have nice, juicy living substance to feed upon. The land-crabs are interesting animals to watch. They live in deep burrows, and if you have the patience to wait near to the mouth of one of these you may see the crab emerge very, very wanly. His eyes aic fixed on little stalks which he erects like the periscopes of a submarine. Move your loo' an inch and be slips info the ground like a rat. Apparently he "ill eat anything, from a stick-insect to the stickiness of a used condensed milk tin. 1 saw a little bird fluttering on the ground, chirping with pain. Rushing up 1 discovered that one of its feet was gripped in the claw of a land-crab. It was. ncrhai’is cruel of mo to rob tin* laml-ciab of such a dainty meal - and to relieve him of it claw in the process, lie could fal tiny rale, console himscll that at the next moult he would have a new one.

The bird was liltlc the worse, and rise, s'ill chirping, into the air. 1 have seen no sign yet of the terrible ted ant of Central Africa, but what appears to be a second cousin swarms in an adjacent orebard. H work- in gangs and builds a wonderful nest by binding together several growing bancs of the lime tree uith deli-

cate silk-lib - skeins. Generally speaking. it is peacefully inclined, bn* when we open 'd a nest for the taking nl a him tin* oilier day riot was let loose, anil the nic l lire promises to show a scene Hot unlike a Wild West saloon on