CORRESPONDENCE.
THE WONDERS OF TROPICAL AFRICA.
[To TRH EDITOR OT THR " SPECTATOR." j
Sia,—The wonders of tropical Africa are so little known or realised by those who never leave our island that the jotting down of some of these wonders noticed in the course of
several years' residence in curious, out-of-the-way places in Africa may prove of interest, and lead to further research by properly qualified persons. These jottings are not concerned in pointing out the well-known greater animals of Africa, but have to do with a few of those small living things—odds and ends of everyday observance—which the ordinary eye can hardly fail to see when one is walking or riding about the country, or travelling on native footpaths. It will be sufficient to say of the greater animals that the Bahr el Ghazal is a district where the elephant is by no means extinct; where the giraffes are common and tame enough to stop to gaze at the strange sight of a white man passing them within easy rifle-shot; where the natives take toll of the rhinoceros yearly to a large number ; where that rare trophy, the giant eland, is still obtainable by the true hunter without much difficulty.
When we come to consider the small things of Africa, there is hardly anything more wonderful than the ants. It may very well be said that no one is without his ant in Africa. Sit down fora moment and you will see an ant, if you have not already sat down upon one. Ants abound every- where, and in this particular neighbourhood there are at least seven different species, the majority of which are visible daily. Each species wages war with the others,—a war of extermina- tion to the weaker side. Among these seven species of ants, and possibly supreme in the ant world, are the "driver" or "raiding" ants. They are great in numbers, often large in size, ferocious; a nuisance, if not a danger, to all; formidable pests afraid of nothing living, going their way disliked and avoided by all, and only to be turned aside or got rid of by fire. Their numbers are so great that their columns may spread for miles, like the transport train of a moderate-sized army. It is no uncommon thing for a single column to take several hours to pass a given spot; the pace set is steady, and where the checks are few, attains to half-a-mile an hour and over. The width of these columns varies from a quarter to half an inch, and distinct tracks are visible where these ants have passed. In broken or uneven ground tunnels are pierced, and at the crossings of native paths or other open spaces the warriors are told off to guard the edge of the lino of march, quite as much to press forward their friends over the dangerous spot as to be alert and ready to dash out and attack any disturber, man or beast. These attacks are carried out without a moment's hesitation, with the formidable nippers held wide open. So well are the ants known and dreaded that donkeys and other pack animals will turn off the path into the bush in preference to stepping over this irascible enemy.
In the opposite scale, the scale of peace, must be placed the "white" ants, which should not properly be included under the heading of ants. These ants are found everywhere, destroying always, preferring to carry out their evil deeds in the dark of night. This is well known to all; but is it equally well known that they utter a distinct twitter when disturbed, or when alarmed in their homes, so making known the necessity of immediate flight? Among ordinary travellers it is common to think that white ants do not bite, possibly because they are better known as eaters of carpets, mats, wood, dry leaves, and clothing; but this is not the ease, as the large, brown-headed white ant of the ant-heap is provided by Nature with a pair of formidable nippers, both for common use and for purposes of defence. If disturbed, it does not hesitate to use these, and it is an unpleasant surprise to receive so severe a bite from such an innocent-looking .creature. The nippers of a white ant cut the skin like the sharpest razor, at once drawing blood; in fact, had these ants been born as pugnacious as the driver ant, large tracts of Africa would not be inhabited to-day.
Among the remaining ants are several specimens which are found in attendance on the various species of green-fly, and other insects of a similar nature, which are the ants' sub- stitute for flocks and herds, quite as much in Africa as in more civilised countries; and, finally, there are the peaceable "sugar" or " honey " ants, inoffensive family creatures, who air their eggs in the early morning sun, and retire to the cool depths of their nests as the midday heat advances to unbearable ardoure. If this part of Africa contains "giant eland," it also contains "giant green-fly." In ten years of tropical Africa the writer now meets this fly for the first time. It is not actually green, but is greyish, and is provided with three stiff horns, two on the bead and one on the tail. When fully grown it measures close on a quarter of an inch, and is attended in large numbers by several kinds of ants, which it permits to swarm over its body without apparent objection.
This of itself is sufficiently startling in a country where the ante devour everything living at once. Found under similar conditions to this fly, and living in close proximity to it, is a "tree parasite," oval in shape, with small red-brown spots. This parasite breeds quickly, and is most destructive to the green growth of the trees on which it establishes itself. It is a veritable plague, and clings to the trees like limpets to a rock, apparently destroying them by suction. It is a curious fact that the fly and the parasite are not found on the same tree, though they are found on alternate trees. These trees are all "gold moburs," and are of about one year's growth from imported seed. The parasite is also known to exist on ordinary forest trees, which are reported to die from its ravages.
Among the many curious things to be found within the radius of a five-mile circle must be mentioned specially a maggot and a "spitting snake." The latter is hardly new, as specimens of the "black mamba" or "spitting cobra" can be procured in Nyasaland. The spitting snakes in this part of Afriea are, however, of a different colour, light greenish grey, and are much more common; in fact, spitting snakes are so common that it does not require a great stretch of imagination to believe that all the snakes of this part of Africa have learnt this vulgar habit. Four local natives have been temporarily blinded by these snakes during the last two years. At first the eyes are most painful, but the effect of the poison begins to decrease after a treatment continued for seven or ten days. It has yet to be proved whether this snake is of the true cobra tribe or other- wise. It has been seen to puff its neck as cobras do when they begin to put up their hoods, but it does not appear to sit up. The snakes spit the globules of poison, and, missing, meet a speedy death, or, if more fortunate, take to flight. They are met with frequently near water, and on more than one occasion natives have turned round upon hearing a rustling behind them, only to find themselves confronted by one of these snakes and blinded by its poisonous spit before they had the opportunity to move away or to attempt the snake's destruction. The aim is very true, and the poison acts instantaneously.
To describe the maggot is by no means easy, from want of sufficient examination, but there is no question of its being an ordinary maggot. In size these maggots are as large as green cabbage caterpillars (without the legs), in colour cream with black-brown heads. They are certainly rare. Either through the kindness of Nature or from necessity, the maggots travel about with a shelter into which they retire at pleasure. These self-drawn caravans present a curious appearance as they struggle slowly along the path. Upon being picked up, the maggot withdraws into its cover, closing the aperture so that it is protected from all points like a porcupine by its quills. Replaced on the ground, the door opens, and the body of the maggot comes out sufficiently to enable it to continue its wriggling journey. The sense of this maggot is clearly shown, as it appears in October before the conclusion of the rains, when storm-shelters are still necessary. It is impossible without proper examination to say whether the maggot and the cover are separate parts or form one whole, or whether the cover is formed of grass or hair. A casual examination points to the cover being artificial, possibly formed from the ear of a large grass hollowed out by the maggot itself ; at any rate, the maggot is able to revolve in the shelter without discomfort.
For those who follow or who have followed a military career there are birds whose exact knowledge of the true science of skirmishing it is a pleasure to record. These birds by constant practice approach perfection, and may be seen at work on most days in the early mornings and in the cool of the evenings. They work in flocks of from fifteen to thirty, and when feeding extend themselves at regular intervals over the chosen piece of ground. Advancing in line "at the hop," they drive all flies and grasshoppers before them, few of which escape. Each bird takes the fly put up on its own ground, and, what should be an example to jealous sportsmen, the birds do not seem to quarrel over the question of "whose fly." These model soldier-birds closely resemble jackdaws, but are smaller and more sprightly ; they have either red or black beaks, and are all black in plumage. They have one defect, and that is that both their beaks and tails appear a little too long for their trim bodies.
Close to the feeding-ground of these birds, and indifferent to heat or shade, is to be found a bulb whose flower is fit to take its place in our most exclusive hothouses on account of beauty of shape and richness of colouring. Unfortunately the flower is only visible for a short period in each year, as it is brought to life by the first rains and disappears again by the time the country is sufficiently dried for bunting. Like. most other things in Africa, it reverses our European customs, for it is the flower, and not the leaf-shoots, that bursts the softened earth ; the shoots only appear after the single bloom has faded and withered away. The bulb continues its contrariness through all phases of its life. The roots grow in a fringe around the top of the bulb, while the new bulb forms above the parent one, which withers up. The possibility of bringing specimens to Europe is remote for various reasons, but chiefly on account of the difficulties of transport, the immense distances to be travelled, and the varieties of climate to be met with en route. That specimens will eventually be secured there can be no doubt, but by whom ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
ANOTHER RIFLEMAN IN AFRICA.
Bahr el Ghazal, Soudan.
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