82 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



of decapitated bodies and severed heads were strewed over the 

 ground. 



Another example, which is given in the published paper, is 

 quite similar, and had like result. In forty-eight hours the old 

 settlers had exterminated the new. The distance between the 

 nests was about 20 feet. While the young colonists remained 

 in concealment they were not disturbed, but as soon as they 

 began to clear away their open disk war was declared. 



MacCook, however, says that ' these ants are not always 

 so jealous of territorial encroachment, or at least must 

 have different standards of rights.' For he observed many 

 cases of nests situated within twenty, and even ten feet 

 of one another, without a battle ever occurring between 

 members of the two communities. Therefore, without 

 questioning the accuracy of Lincecum's observations 

 which, indeed, present no scope for inaccuracy he adds, 

 'That neighbouring ants, like neighbouring nations of 

 civilised men, will fall out and wage war Lincecum's ex- 

 amples show. Perhaps we should be quite as unsuccessful 

 in case of these ants as of our human congeners, should 

 we seek a sufficient reason for these wars, or satisfactory 

 cause for these differences in dealing with neighbours 

 which appear from the comparison of Lincecum's observa- 

 tions with mine.' 



In connection with the wars of these ants, the follow- 

 ing quotations may also be made from the same author : 



The erratic ants do not appear to be held as common ene- 

 mies by the agricultural, and they are even permitted to 

 establish their formicaries within the limits of the open disk. 

 Sometimes, however, the diminutive hillocks which mark the 

 entrance to an erratic ant-nest multiply beyond the limit of the 

 agriculturals' forbearance. But they do not declare war, nor 

 resort to any personal violence. Nevertheless, they get rid of 

 them, oddly enough, by a regular system of vexatious obstruc- 

 tions. They suddenly conclude that there is xirgent demand 

 for improving their public domain. Forthwith they sally forth 

 in large numbers, fall eagerly to work gathering the little black 

 balls which are thrown up by the earth-worms in great quantities 

 everywhere in the prairie soil, which they bring and heap upon 

 the paved disk until all the erratic ant-nests are covered ! The 

 entire pavement is thus raised an inch or so, and pains are taken 



