336 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



enemies, and jealous of any encroachment upon 

 the territory which surrounds their capitals. I have 

 witnessed in these forests the inhabitants of two 

 large ant-hills engaged in spirited combat ; two 

 empires could not have brought into the field a 

 more numerous or more determined body of combat- 

 ants. The rival cities were situated about a hun- 

 dred paces from each other, and alike in extent of 

 population : what occasioned their discord I cannot 

 pretend to say. 



' Let us figure to ourselves this prodigious crowd 

 of insects covering the ground lying between these 

 two ant-hills, and occupying a space of two feet in 

 breadth. Both armies met at half-way from their 

 respective habitations, and there the battle com- 

 menced. Thousands of ants took their station upon 

 the highest ground, and fought in pairs, keeping 

 firm hold of their antagonists by their mandibles : 

 a considerable number were engaged in the attack and 

 leading away prisoners. The latter made several in- 

 effectual efforts to escape, as if aware that, upon their 

 arrival at the camp, they would experience a cruel 

 death. The scene of warfare occupied a space of 

 about three feet square ; a penetrating odour exhaled 

 from all sides ; numbers of dead ants were seen 

 covered with venom. The ants, composing groups 

 and chains, laid hold of each other's legs and pincers, 

 and dragged their antagonists on the ground. These 

 groups formed successively. The fight usually com- 

 menced between two ants, who seized each other by 

 the mandibles, and raised themselves upon their 

 hind-legs, to allow of their bringing their abdomen 

 forward, and spurting the venom upon their adver- 

 sary. They were often so closely wedged together, 

 that they fell upon their sides, and fought a long time 

 in that situation in the dust, till a third came to 

 decide the contest. It more commonly happened 



