102 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



to aim only at decapitation, and this they accomplish with dexterity and sur- 

 prising facility. Reinforcements were momentarily arriving to both armies. 

 Thousands were already engaged, and the bloody strife was raging over the 

 entire area of the battle-field. 



Being controlled only by two forces, desperation and death the scene 

 was terrific beyond my powers of description. In all directions, everywhere, 

 were seen the dire effects of relentless war. The battle-field was already 

 thickly strewn with the dead and dying, over whom, in regardless tramp, 

 swept the furious antagonism. Here indeed was, for once, at least, full mani- 

 festations of the unmistakable, genuine " tug of war." Violently struggling 

 and gnashing their jaws ; clinging together and wallowing on the ground, in 

 companies, in squads and single combat, the direful contest fiercely raged. 

 Dispatches had been sent off by the black ants for their entire reserve to be 

 forwarded immediately, and they were pouring out by the million from the 

 gates of their great city, distant about 60 feet, and hurrying toward the 

 battle-field. They were evidently making a forced march, and their numbers 

 were so great, that by the time they had progressed 20 to 30 feet, their line 

 of march suggested the idea of a broad black ribband trailing on the ground, 

 mid there seemed to be no end to them, for they were still flowing out from 

 the city in countless thousands. 



At this crisis their army on the battle-field gave way and was routed, and 

 in a general panic commenced a retreat. Soon, in their disorderly flight, they 

 met their reinforcements and communicating to the front ranks their total and 

 disastrous discomfiture, the panic became universal, and reinforcements and 

 all fled precipitately into the city. In five minutes there were no black ants 

 to be seen above ground. The news of the great battle and its disastrous 

 results seemed to have been spread around to those even who had not been 

 engaged in the battle, but who were busied in their daily avocations. At all 

 events, from some cause the black ants immediately disappeared entirely from 

 the top of the earth in that vicinity. Not so on the battle-ground. The vic- 

 tors occupied the ensanguined field, and were busily employed for several 

 hours. Many of them were attending to the wounded, which were numerous, 

 and whom they carried into the shade of a large clod of earth, that had been 

 turned up by some heavy road wagon, to get them out of the scorching sun- 

 shine, which was pouring down in great force, it being now nearly 11 o'clock. 

 Much the larger portion of them were gathering up and packing off the de- 

 capitated bodies of the black ants, and carrying them up a post oak tree, in 

 which they had their city, and which also stood near by. Upon these head- 

 less victims of the bloody strife they intended, as I supposed, to have a grand 

 feast. 



There was a great running to and fro by those who were attending the 

 wounded. They seemed to exert themselves greatly and to manifest much 

 sympathy for them. In the course of an hour many of the wounded were so 

 far recovered as to be able to travel, while those who remained invalid were 

 carried up the tree by their friends. Although great numbers of the red-heads 

 were wounded, and some of them seriously, there were but few dead ones, 

 and these were carried up the tree with the headless trunks of the conquered 

 foe. After the victorious red-heads had left the battle-field, the only signs 

 that remained to mark the place of the destructive contest was the dissevered 

 heads of the vanquished. Of these there were so many that they suggested 

 the idea of gunpowder strewed along the ground. 



The food of this species of insect is various. He is quite fond of vege- 

 table oils, sweet saps and honey. He collects his sweets from the tender 

 buds and glands and blooms of plants, and in great quantities from the aphis 

 vine fretter or plant louse. These plant lice have their inflected beak in- 

 serted in the tender bark of the buds and twigs of the growing plants, vines 

 and the like, where, in dense crowds they cling, sucking the sweet sap. 

 Among these masses of plant lice is ever found great numbers of the erratic 



[April, 



