992 AMAZON ANTS, 
Legionaries were often despoiled of the 
pupe they had seized by the Miners, who 
darted upon them with amazing spirit, 
fighting body to body, and disputing the 
ground with an exasperation I had. never 
before witnessed. The Amazon army 
was, notwithstanding successful, and 
recommenced its march in good order, 
laden with pupe and larve; instead, 
however, of proceeding in file, it now 
maintained close rank, forming a com- 
pact mass, a precaution the more neces- 
sary, as the courageous insects upon 
whom they had made this attack, hastened 
in pursuit, and even harassed them, to 
within ten paces of their citadel. 
. During these combats the pillaged 
ant-hill presented, in miniature, the spec- 
tacle of a besieged city : hundreds of its 
inhabitants were observed to quit. it, 
carrying here and there the pupa, larve, 
and.young females they were anxious to 
preserve from the fury of their enemies. 
The major part mounted the neighbour- 
ing plants, bearing the young between 
