ABSTRACT
THE undulating grass plains over which we had passed, and which extend onwards over the Mau-Elgeyo plateau, are of singularly rich pasture and soil, and are well watered. White ants are scarce, indeed we had hardly seen an ant-hill since leaving Machako's. Mark Twain describes the ant "as a much overrated bird," and I am inclined to think that the white ant (which, by the way, is not an ant at all) is equally deserving of the description. Professor Drummond1 propounds the theory that these animals take the place in the economy of nature which Darwin has shown to be fulfilled by earth-worms. The author of this theory was Dr Livingstone,2 and though Drummond does not tell us so, it was Dr Laws on Nyasa who suggested it to him. With such an array of scientific authorities against me, I feel it is bold to assail the position of the white ant.
