ANT COMMUNITIES 



battles in the clays of chivalry, when armored warriors 

 fought hand to hand. 



From the central mass the numbers gradually dimin- 

 ished until, as spaces opened in the surrounding fringe 

 of the fight, one could see small groups of combatants 

 scattered over several square feet of surface. Most of 

 them were duels; but trios, quartets, quintets abound- 

 ed. In one case six ants were engaged with one; in the 

 centre, two were tugging with interlocked mandibles, 

 and five others were grouped around, like spokes in a 

 wheel, each sawing or pulling at a limb of the un- 

 fortunate central integer, who was being torn to pieces. 

 Here and there a larger group would be piled upon one 

 another, heaving, pushing, tugging, like the athletes of a 

 football rush, but with mortal intent. 



The duellists seized each other by the head, frequent- 

 ly interclasping mandibles, and pulling backward or 

 swaying back and forth. It was literally a "tug of 

 war." Again, one would have her antagonist grasped 

 by the face above the mandibles, which placed the 

 latter at a great disadvantage. In such and other cases 

 both ants would often be reared upon the hind and 

 middle legs, with abdomens turned under and stinging 

 organs out-thrust, making vicious stabs at one another. 



All over the field disengaged ants were running about, 

 excitedly seeking a foeman, incessantly stopping to 

 challenge with antenna?, then hastening on until a hostile 

 party was met, when at once the two locked mandibles 

 and fell to. Many ran to and fro, stopping now at one 

 group, now at another, to nip an abdomen, gnaw a leg, 

 or snap at face or antenna , and then would rush away 

 to some more promising service. 



Meantime, from the gates of the warring communes 



212 



