126 NATURAL HISTORY. [CH. Vll. 



combatants, and some to escort the prisoners. This 

 war terminated without any disastrous results to 

 either of the two republics ; long-continued rains 

 shortened its duration, and each band of warriors 

 ceased to frequent the road which led to the enemy's 

 camp." 



The astonishing part of this singular detail is, the 

 instinct which enables each ant to know its own 

 party. Of the same species, alike in form, size, fa- 

 culties, and arms, it yet rarely happens that two of 

 the same side attack each other; and when this 

 takes place, says Huber, " those which are the ob- 

 jects of this temporary error caress their compa- 

 nions with their antennae, and readily appease their 

 anger." We can comprehend the existence of an 

 instinct which shall, at all times, cause an animal to 

 build its habitation after a distinct fashion, but a 

 spontaneous combination of faculties seems to take 

 place in the conduct of these wars. The insects 

 march, countermarch, take prisoners, distinguish 

 each other, retreat ; in short, do all that man would 

 do under similar circumstances. Nothing like the 

 fatality of instinct is perceptible. These wars were 

 accidental, might never have happened, and perhaps 

 only happen in one community out of ten. Neither 

 are they conducted alike in all cases, but are ob- 

 viously modified according to the varying circum- 

 stances of time and place. These very fallow ants, 

 when they attack the sanguine ants, "for example, 

 adopt a system of ambuscade and stratagem; and 

 the sanguine ants, if too hardly pressed, send off a 

 courier to their ant-hill for farther assistance, and 

 immediately, says Huber, a considerable detachment 

 leaves the sanguine city, advances in a body, and 

 surrounds the enemy. 



That ants, being such determined warriors, should 

 occasionally have games of mimic war is not sur- 

 prising. " I visited," says Huber, " one of the fal- 

 low ant-hills, exposed to the sun, and sheltered to 



