ANT COMMUNITIES 



cowardice. And yet the Subsericeas observed by me 

 and there are numerous colonies on my own country 

 place while they are not conspicuous for warlikeness, 

 are quite normal in their general courageousness. But 

 there are no slave -making species in their vicinage. 

 Their spirit has not been cowed through successive con- 

 quests by stronger and fiercer foes (Fig. 81). The}^ are, 

 therefore, not open to that strange seizure which may 

 beset ants as well as men, even the stoutest-hearted men, 

 known as a panic. 



With ants, too, as with men, circumstances influence 

 both personal and communal courage. Formica fusca, 



Fig. 81 SLAVE-HOLDING ANT 



Going home with a plundered cocoon and a dissevered 

 head of an ant clinging to leg 



one of the favorite auxiliaries or so-called slaves of the 

 sanguine slave-makers, has been observed by Wassinann 

 and Forel to be more courageous with them than when 

 nesting alone. Backed up by their redoubtable leaders 

 and associates, thevact as do men under similar circum- 



/ / 



stances, and stand to their weapons when otherwise 



they would retreat. Independent of other and tactical 



200 



