CH. VII.J ANTS. 125 



by the mandibles, raised themselves upon their hind- 

 legs, to allow of their bringing- their abdomen for- 

 ward, and spurting their venom upon their adversary : 

 they were frequently so wedged together, that they 

 fell on their sides, and fought a long time in that 

 situation in the dust : shortly afterward they raised 

 themselves, when each began dragging its adversary ; 

 but when their force happened to be equal, the 

 wrestlers remained immoveable, and fixed each 

 other to the ground, until a third came to decide the 

 contest. It more commonly happened that both 

 ants received assistance at the same time, when the 

 whole four, keeping firm hold of a foot or antenna, 

 made ineffectual attempts to win the battle. In this 

 way they sometimes formed groups of six, eight, or 

 ten, firmly locked all together ; the gi*oup was only 

 broken, when several warriors from the same re- 

 public advanced at the same time, and compelled 

 the encliained insects to let go their hold, and then 

 the single combats were renewed : on the approach 

 of night, each party retired gradually to their own 

 city. 



" On the following day, before dawn, the ants re- 

 turned to the field of battle — the groups again formed 

 — the carnage recommenced with greater fury than 

 on the preceding evening, and the scene of combat 

 occupied a space of six feet by two : the event re- 

 mained for a long time doubtful ; about midday the 

 contending armies had removed to the distance of a 

 dozen feet from one of their cities, whence, I con- 

 clude, that some ground had been gained : the ants 

 fought so desperately, that they did not even perceive 

 my presence, and though I remained close to the 

 armies, not a single combatant climbed up my legs. 



The ordinary operations of the two cities were 

 not suspended, and in all the immediate vicinity of 

 the ant-hills order and peace prevailed ; on that side 

 on which the battle raged alone were seen crowds 

 of these insects running to and fro, some to join the 

 L2 



