INTELLIGENCE OF ANTS. 507 



sand pupae, so that during a single summer the total number of pupse 

 captured by this colony might be put down at forty thousand. 



Forel further tried the following experiment : He kept nests of 

 two species of slave-making ants in two separate sacks, and when he 

 saw that an expedition of a third species (Amazons) had found a slave- 

 nest to plunder, and were fairly on their march toward it, he turned 

 out one of his sacks upon the nest. A fight at once began between 

 the slave-ants and sanguine ants which he had turned loose upon them. 

 Then the vanguard of the Amazons came up ; but, when they saw that 

 the sanguines were already on the field, they drew back and awaited 

 the approach of the main army. In close order this whole array then 

 precipitated itself upon the already struggling host of sanguine ants. 

 The latter, however, repulsed the attack, and the Amazons retired to 

 reform. This done they made a second assault, which appearing as if 

 it would end successfully, Forel, to complicate matters, poured upon 

 the field his second sack containing the third species of slave-makers. 

 All three species then fought together, till at last victory declared it- 

 self on the side of the Amazons. After overcoming their enemies they 

 paused for a breathing-space before beginning the work of plunder. 

 They then ravished the nest of the slave-ants, which, however, fought 

 desperately, so that it seemed as though they courted death. They 

 even followed the Amazons right up to their own nest, harassing them 

 all the way. On arriving at the nest of the Amazons the slaves of the 

 latter came out and assisted their masters to fight. These slaves were 

 of two species one being the same as that which was being plun- 

 dered, so that these slaves were fighting for their masters against their 

 own kind. Altogether, therefore, in that day's warfare there were 

 six different species of ants engaged three in alliance, and the rest in 

 mutual antaofonism. 



The military tactics employed by the sanguine ants above men- 

 tioned are different from those employed by the Amazons. They do 

 not seek to carry the fortress of the slave-ants by storm, but lay a 

 regular siege, forming a complete circle round the nest, and facing it 

 with jaws held fiercely open and antenna3 thrown back. Being indi- 

 vidually large and strong, they are able thus to confine the whole nest 

 of slave-ants. A special guard is set upon the entrances of the nest, 

 and this allows all slave-ants not carrying pupae to pass, while it stops 

 all the slave-ants which carry pupae. The siege lasts till most of the 

 slave-ants have thus been allowed to pass out, while all the pupae are 

 left behind. The forces then close in upon the entrances and com- 

 pletely rifle the nest of its pupae a few companies, however, being 

 told off to pursue any slave-ants which may possibly have succeeded 

 here and there in escaping with a pupa. 



Wars are not confined to species of ants having slave-making 

 habits. The agricultural ants likewise at times have fierce contests 

 with one another. The importance of seeds to these insects, and the 



