WARS OF ANTS. 183 
sting, but they supply its place by biting 
their enemy and pouring into the wound 
they inflict with their teeth, a drop of 
venom, which renders it exceedingly 
painful. They bend, for that purpose, 
their abdomen, which contains the 
venomous liquor, and approach it to the 
wounded part, at the very same moment 
they tear it with their pincers. When 
their adversaries keep only at a distance, 
and they are unable to reach them, they 
all raise themselves on their hind feet, 
and, bringing their abdomen between 
their legs, spurt their venom with some 
degree of force. We see ascend, from 
the whole surface of the nest, a thick 
cloud of formic acid, which exhales an 
almost sulphureous odour. 
Of all the enemies of the ant, those 
most dreaded are the ants themselves; 
the smallest not the least, since several 
fasten at once upon the feet of the largest, 
drag them on the ground, embarrass 
their movements, and thus prevent their 
escape. One would be astonished at the 
