Speaking of the swarming from a nest of these ants, he describes them as rushing out of a hole in a perfect stream, and, after flying one or two hundred yards, descending to the ground. If they lighted upon a soil suitable for founding a colony, they immediately bent up their tails, unhooked their wings, and, leaving them on the surface of the ground, quickly began their mining operations.
These wings seem formed only to help the insect in its short flight to a new abode and are then cast aside.
Occasionally this swarming occurs in a house, and, to prevent every corner from being filled with the insects, a fire is built at the orifice of the nest. But they do not hesitate to pass through the fire. While swarming they appear like snowflakes floating about in the air, and it is not uncommon to find dogs, cats, hawks, and almost every kind of bird busily devouring them.
The natives take advantage of the swarming season and collect the ants for food. They are then about half an inch long, about as large round as a goose quill, and very plump. When roasted, they are good eating and resemble grains of boiled rice. The general mode of catching them is to dig into the hill, and as the builders come forth to repair the damage, to sweep them quickly into some cooking utensil.
A singular animal of South Africa is the earth hog. Its food consists wholly of the white ants, whose dome-like structures are found in great numbers in the vicinity of the Orange River, and in other thinly settled localities.
This animal burrows a short distance below the surface of the ground. During the daytime it is seldom seen; at dusk, however, it ventures forth, intent on creeping up to the ant-hills which shelter its prey. By scratching a hole on the side of one with its fore-feet the little community is disturbed; and as the ants in their confusion run about in various directions, they are easily drawn into the earth hog's mouth by its long slender tongue.
Though apparently defenseless,—for it has no tusks nor efficient teeth,—no animal is safer in its concealment, for it is very rarely seen. When pursued, it burrows a retreat for itself with astonishing speed.