A REJOINDER TO MRS. BU-\.\. 4o 



constantly pouring in ; some on foot, and some borne along by their 

 companions. Some of the observers could not account for this singu- 

 lar mode of proceeding. The individuals thus carried did not seem 

 weaker than their bearer, for when they were separated, they would both 

 scamper off hastily ; though sometimes one would again approach the 

 other and allow himself to be picked up and borne off as before. The 

 ants all came in a straight line, and were traced to a distance of twenty 

 yards. At the place of destination, a scene of active and enterprising 

 industry was going on. Some were excavating the earth, whilst others 

 were bringing together straw and sticks. One little fellow was particu- 

 larly noticed, tugging and twisting to drag along a stick eight or ten 

 times bigger than himself. Every thing seemed to promise success to 

 the enterprise, but on visiting the colony a few days afterwards, I ob- 

 served that a large black ant of a different species had seized one of the 

 settlers in a hostile manner and was bearing him off. After making his 

 way with some dfficulty through the grass that edged the bed, where his 

 progress was impeded by his victim who grasped at the objects around 

 him, he carried him into a hickory tree a few feet distant, which I found 

 to be inhabited by a tribe of this large species. 



On examining the settlement more closely, many dead bodies of both 

 nations were discovered, giving evidence that a deadly struggle had been 

 going on between them. A number of combats still remained undeci- 

 ded. In one instance, three of the smaller ants had attacked one large 

 one, and from the exhausted appearance of all, I inferred that the con- 

 test had been arduous. In another, one of the giant invaders had seized 

 his smaller opponent just at the root of the feelers and was endeavoi-ing 

 in vain, by rubbing him against the objects around, to get his body with- 

 in reach of his jaws. His supple enemy evaded all his eilbrts. The 

 colony appeared to have been much weakened by the hostilities of their 

 powerful neighbors, for though they were still carrying on their opera- 

 tions, it was with much less energy than before, and since that time they 

 have entirely disappeared ; the remnant, I suppose, became disheartened 

 and removed in hopes of finding a more peaceable neighborhood. 



I have many more curious maneuvers of these little animals to re- 

 late. RUSTICUS. 



A REJOINDER TO MRS. BUNN, WITH AN EPISODE ON THE CELES- 

 TIAL KITCHEN. 



If Mrs. Bunn says, that the times before us, and particularly Roman 

 limes, of which she has read in an odd volume of Rollin, which lies on 

 the third shelf of the small closet beside the fire-place in the back par- 



