332 INSECT MISCELLANIES, 



rushing out to defend their citadel, which they do 

 with indescribable fury. Apparently they can only 

 direct their movements by feeling-, though they do 

 not spend much time in deliberating, but bite 

 fiercely at every thing within their reach, and in 

 their haste they frequently lose their footing and 

 tumble down hill. In biting they frequently strike 

 their forceps upon the wall, which makes a crackling 

 noise somewhat shriller and quicker than the ticking 

 of a watch, and this, which may be heard at the dis- 

 tance of several feet, the labourers within seem to 

 understand, as they reply to it with a kind of hissing. 

 " I one day," says Smith, " attempted to knock off 

 the top of one of the hills with my cane, but the 

 stroke had no other effect than to bring thousands of 

 the insects out of doors to see what was the matter ; 

 upon which I took to my heels, and ran away as fast 

 as I could." Others have had more courage than 

 Smith to renew their attack, in which case the bustle 

 and fury increase in a tenfold degree. If, in their 

 rage, they come in contact with the hands or legs of 

 their assailant, they make their mandibles meet 

 through the skin at every stroke, and inflict consi- 

 derable pain, while the blood from one of their 

 wounds will stain the stocking to more than an inch 

 in width. They never quit their hold, but will suffer 

 themselves to be pulled limb from limb, without 

 making any attempt to escape. 



" If, on the other hand," says Smeathman, " you 

 cease to batter, in half an hour they retire into the 

 nest, as if they supposed the wonderful monster that 

 had battered their castle to be beyond their reach. 

 The labourers, who had fled on the first alarm, are 

 now seen hastening to repair the breach, every one 

 with a burthen of ready-tempered mortar in its 

 mouth. This they stick on to the breach with such 

 wonderful celerity and order, that although thou- 



