18 DIFFERENT CLASSES OF INDIVIDUALS. 



or four seizing an enemy at once, and then pulling 

 different ways, so that she on her part cannot get at 

 any one of her foes. One of them then jumps on 

 her back and cuts, or rather saws, off her head. In 

 battles between this ant and the much larger F. jpra- 

 tcnsis, many of the F. exsectas may be seen on the 

 backs of the F. pratensis, sawing off tlieir heads from 

 behind. 



The species of Lasius make up in numbers what 

 they want in strength. Several of them seize an 

 enemy at once, one by each of her legs or antennae, 

 and when they have once taken hold they will suffer 

 themselves to be cut in pieces rather than leave go. 



Polyergus rufescens, the celebrated slave-making 

 or Amazon ant, has a mode of combat almost peculiar 

 to herself. The jaws are very powerful, and pointed. 

 If attacked — if, for instance, another ant seizes her by 

 a leg — she at once takes her enemy's head into her 

 jaws, which generally makes her quit her hold. If she 

 does not, the Polyergus closes her mandibles, so that 

 the points pierce the brain of her enemy, paralysing 

 the nervous system. The victim falls in convulsions, 

 setting free her terrible foe. In this manner a com- 

 paratively small force of Polyergus will fearlessly 

 attack much larger armies of other species, and suffer 

 themselves scarcely any loss. 



Under ordinary circumstances an ants' nest, like 

 a beehive, consists of three kinds of individuals: 

 workers, or imperfect females (which constitute the 



