WARS OF ANTS. 197 
I shall now ofter a few observations, to 
which I shall give no definite term, since 
they relate to scenes that I dare not qua- 
lify with the title gymnastic, although 
they bear a close resemblance to scenes 
of that kind. It is to the Fallow 
Ants I am indebted for these details ; 
they have already furnished me with 
several remarkable particulars. Do 
they not owe to the immense population 
of their nest those differences which 
one-third of its height. From M. de Prefontaine, 
I learned, that when a native had the misfortune to 
meet one of these dreaded fortresses in turning up 
the earth, he was obliged to abandon his establish- 
ment, provided he could not lay a regular siege to 
it. This circumstance occurred to him, on his 
first encampment at Kouron; he then encamped at 
a little distance, but shortly perceived a hillock 
like that before us. He duga circular trench, and 
filled it with a large quantity of dry wood, and 
when he had fired it in several places, he attacked 
the ant-hill with cannon. The shaking of the earth, 
and the bursting forth of the flames, left the enemy 
no means of escape, for they were obliged to tra- 
verse, in their retreat, the trench filled with matter 
in a state of combustion,” &c. &c. — A. 
Ro 
