PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 71 



ponents, as if it was unhurt. This did not look like 

 languor or sickness. 



The wars of ants that are not of the same species 

 take place usually between those that differ in size ; and 

 the great endeavouring* to oppress the small are never- 

 theless often outnumbered by them, and defeated. Their 

 battles have long been celebrated, and the date of them, 

 as if it were an event of the first importance, has been 

 formally recorded. iEneas Sylvius, after giving a very 

 circumstantial account of one contested with great ob- 

 stinacy by a great and small species on the trunk of a 

 pear-tree, gravely states, " This action was fought in 

 the pontificate of Eugeniusthe Fourth, in the presence 

 of Nicholas Pistoriensis, an eminent lawyer, who re- 

 lated the whole history of the battle with the greatest 

 fidelity !" A similar engagement between great and 

 small ants is recorded by Olaus Magnus, in which the 

 small ones being victorious are said to have buried the 

 bodies of their own soldiers, but left those of their giant 

 enemies a prey to the birds. This event happened 

 previous to the expulsion of the tyrant Christiern the 

 Second from Sweden^. 



M.P. Huber is the only modern author that appears 

 to have been witness to these combats. He tells us 

 that, when the great attack the small, they seek to take 

 them by surprise, (probably to avoid their fastening 

 themselves to their legs,) and, seizing them by the 

 upper part of the body, they strangle them with their 

 mandibles ; but when the small have time to foresee 

 the attack, they give notice to their companions, who 

 rush in crowds to their succour. Sometimesj howeverj 



t Mouffet, Theatr. Ins. 242. 



