270 COMPOUND ANT-HILLS. 
On looking around, I could see no traces 
of destruction, nor indeed any thing to 
justify a suspicion that the Legionary 
ants were endowed with a ferocious in- 
stinct, although one would be inclined 
to this belief from their martial dispo- 
sition. 
It seems sufficiently demonstrated by 
what we have seen of the contents of a 
mixed ant-hill, that zt belongs to the 
Amazons, and that it is composed of 
three sorts of individuals of that species, 
and of Negro labourers. With all my 
care, I could perceive neither malés nor 
females of this latter cast, but only young 
Negro working ants, and these I recog- 
nised by their colour. But whence does 
this proceed? Are the larvee and pup 
taken away from the Negro Ants by the 
Amazons developed in the enemy’s en- 
campment, and do they afterwards be- 
come house-stewards, and auxiliaries to 
the warlike tribe with whom they are as- 
sociated? Every circumstance seems to 
prove that here rests the great mystery 
