ANT COMMUNITIES 



Then, at a touch, every citizen becomes a warrior, and 

 the outer walls swarm with defenders. 



Here one may note a remarkable trait of these ant 

 citizens their devoted patriotism. At the approach 



Fig. 14 GROUP OF TWO MOUNDS OF F. EXSECTOIDES AT AL- 



GONAC. ST. CLAIR RIVER, MICHIGAN 



(Photo by William S. Cooper, Detroit) 



of an enemy they attack it, absolutely regardless of con- 

 sequences. The personal factor has no place nor even 

 consideration in the act. Whether the supposed hostile 

 be great or small, beast, bird, creeping thing, or man 

 himself, the brave little creatures fling themselves upon 

 it with the utmost abandon. 



For example, here comes to the edge of the mound a 

 large black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), 

 a ferocious and formidable insect, almost twice as large 

 as the formican and a hereditary enemy. Forth from 

 a gate leaps a sentinel, and launches its quivering body 

 straight against the sable giant. One snap of the 

 Camponotid's jaws, and the assailant's brown head is 



12 



