CH. VII.] ANTS. 129 



march, and in an instant the whole battalion fell 

 upon and overthrew the negroes, who, after a short 

 and obstinate conflict, retired and took refuge in the 

 lowest parts- of their nest. The legionaries now 

 mounted the hillock ; some took possession of the 

 principal avenues, while others effected a new breach 

 with their teeth, so as to admit the remainder of the 

 army. Having thus taken the city by assault, they 

 remained in it only a few minutes : returning by the 

 apertures through which they had entered, each 

 carried in its mouth either a larva, or a pupa, and 

 scampered away without order or regularity. M. 

 Huber followed them for some time, but lost sight 

 of them in a cornfield. Wishing to observe the 

 assaulted city again, he retraced his steps, and saw 

 a small number of ash-coloured labourers perched 

 on the stalks of plants, holding in their mouths the 

 few larvae which they had succeeded in rescuing 

 from pillage. 



The next morning, Huber, taking the same road, 

 with the hope of once more seeing a similar scene, 

 discovered a large ant-hill tenanted by legionaries. 

 At five in the evening, provided the weather be fine, 

 and the temperature 67° Fahrenheit in the shade, 

 these sally out. During the other part of the day 

 they appear to do little ; but at this hour they be- 

 come restless, assemble on the outside of the city, 

 move round it in circles: a signal is then given, 

 which they pass from one to the other, striking, as 

 they proceed, with their antennae and forehead, the 

 breasts of their companions; these, in their turn, 

 approach those advancing, and communicate the 

 same signal — it is that of departure — as the result 

 satisfactorily proves. Those which receive the 

 intimation are instantly seen to put themselves on 

 the march; the column becomes organized; and 

 not a single amazon remains near the garrison. 

 There is no commander-in-chief, every ant is in turn 

 first, each seeking to be foremost. A small number 



