34 A NATURALIST IN HIMALAYA 



warrior but a peaceful husbandman. An attack on the 

 enemy is so foreign to its nature that it scarcely under- 

 stands the mode of battle. When in danger it trusts 

 not in attack but in defence. It protects its nest by 

 raising up ramparts rather than by advancing to 

 engage the enemy. 



I placed a wounded specimen of the ant Camponotus 

 compressus close to the mouth of a Messor nest situated 

 on a gravelly path. The ants seemed surprised and 

 terrified at its presence ; some dashed about in evident 

 alarm ; others glared ferociously with open jaws at the 

 intruder ; occasionally a more daring spirit would seize 

 the enemy by a leg or antenna, but would instantly 

 flee on the slightest resistance of the stranger. The 

 curious fact was that, with all their wonderful discipline 

 and organization, the whole nest appeared unable to 

 make a concerted attack on a single wounded Cam- 

 ponotiis ant which had invaded their territory, yet 

 half a dozen of them acting together could have 

 immediately removed it. Though unable to attack 

 in any force, they were well aware that their nest was 

 in danger. Workers hurried round the mouth of the 

 nest, seized flat pebbles many times their own weight 

 and carried them back to the entrance. Each worker 

 placed its stone over the orifice of the nest, and in an 

 incredibly short space of time the interior was secured 

 by a strong barricade. The workers continued to 

 strengthen their fortifications until the opening was 

 completely blocked with stones, and the nest was then 

 not only fortified, but the opening was so concealed 

 that it appeared quite uniform with the surrounding 

 ground. By these tactics many of the ants cut off 

 their own retreat, yet they succeeded in the more 



