ANTS. 49 



never stop or embarrass one another ; and you 

 are most agreeably deceived, when, after an 

 apparent scene of hurry and confusion, a re- 

 gular wall arises, gradually filling up the 

 chasm. While they are thus employed, al- 

 most all the soldiers are retired quite out of 

 sight. 



A renewal of the attack, however, instantly 

 changes the scene. At every stroke we hear 

 a loud hiss ; and on the first the labourers 

 run into the many pipes and galleries with 

 which the building is perforated, which they 

 do so quickly that they seem to vanish, for in 

 a few seconds they are all gone, and the sol- 

 diers rush out as numerous and vindictive as 

 before. 



In various parts of America and the West 

 India islands, the ravages committed by 

 Ants are incredible. One of the chief of those 

 destroyers is the formica omnivora of Lin- 

 naeus, a very small species of a brown or ches- 

 nut colour. It is extremely voracious, at- 

 tacking every animal substance to which it can 

 gain access. It is said to be so numerous in 

 some districts, that a deer, hog, &c. being 

 killed, and left on the ground by night, will, 



F 



