RAIDS UPON VERMIN. 21 



to inspect the house, to see if it is worthy of a 

 visit. The long cohinin then pours in and dis- 

 perces over the dwelling. They enter every 

 crevice, and speedily haul out any unfortunate 

 creature which is hidden therein. Great oock- 

 roaches are dragged unwillingly away, being 

 pulled in front by four or five ants, and pushed 

 from behind by as many more. The rats and 

 mice speedily succumb to the onslaught of their 

 myriad foes, the snakes and the lizards fare no 

 better, and even the formidable weapons of the 

 centipedes and scorpions are overcome. 



" In a wonderfully short time the Foraging 

 Ants have done their work, the turmoil gradu- 

 ally ceases, the scattered parties again form 

 into line, and the army moves out of the house, 

 carrying its spoils in triumph. When the in- 

 habitants return, they find every intruder gone, 

 and to their great comfort may move about 

 without treading on some unfortunate creature, 

 or put on their shoes without knocking them 

 on the floor to shake out a scorpion or a centi- 

 pede." 



