FOUNDING OF SLAVE-MAKING COMMUNES 



fo raging-ground. Indeed, something of the same sort 

 may be seen, though in cruder and less-concerted (if at 

 all concerted) form, in the daily raids of the mound- 

 making ants in their excursions after the honey-dew of 

 aphides upon the trees growing near by their ant cities. 

 Enough has been said to show that the movements 

 of ants in column, especially for a hostile and predatory 

 purpose, is a tendency, not to say a trait, that appears 

 in many species. To be sure, it is reasoning per sallem- 

 and doubtless a wide vault, indeed to infer from such 

 general tendencies the development of a trait so thorough- 

 ly fixed and admirably ordered as the predatory raids of 

 our Sanguine slave-makers. But in the present state of 

 emmet ethology, some such tentative inference may be 

 justified, until wider and minuter studies shall enable 

 naturalists to fill up the gaps in our knowledge. One 

 may have good hopes that this will yet be done, as prying 

 naturalists go forth to their true aim, 



"And take upon 's the mystery of things 

 As if we were God's spies." 



For surely the hidden things of nature must all be 

 brought to light ere the divine call of man to the uni- 

 versal inquisition after truth shall be fully answered. 



It is significant that while the black auxiliaries are 

 given a full share of the commune's diverse services, 

 their red superiors labor with them side by side, and 

 seemingly with full efficiency and activity. That the 

 Rubicundas must be sensible of the advantage of strength- 

 ening their working force may be conceded, and also 

 that this may have been in some degree, at least, a factor 

 in determining their kidnapping excursions. But, man- 

 ifestly, dependence upon their imported labor has in 



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