254 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



themselves in a line of battle, three ranks deep, their right 

 wing being covered by a mass of several hundred, while 

 their loft wing was supported by nearly a thousand individ 

 uals. Tims the two armies moved one against the other, 

 until they approached each other near enough to commence 

 the battle, when the two masses which supported the wings 

 formed oblong squares, from three to four inches wide, with 

 out taking part in the affray. Then the fighting began with 

 fury, the jaws, stings, and venom constituting their formi 

 dable weapons ; and very soon mutilated bodies, heads, and 

 headless trunks, torn-out feet and legs could be seen lying 

 all over that miniature battle-ground. The fight was con 

 tinued with great vigor until noon, when the massacre 

 ceased, and the remnant of the brown ants took flight to 

 parts unknown, while the black ants, as the victors, took 

 possession of the fortresses of the enemy, carrying along 

 with them their wounded fellow-soldiers. 



Such stories seem really wonderful ; but they arc true, 

 and may be seen in our pine woods every summer by every 

 person who will take the pains to be an attentive observer 

 of natural phenomena, and not be content to go through 

 life a mere thoughtless, promenading automaton. 



We have called the ants useful insects, and so they arc 

 in many ways. They furnish us with formic acid and 

 frankincense, and they rid us of many injurious larvae and 

 other noxious insects, besides destroying carrion ; but they 

 are injurious to bee-hives, flowers, cherries, pears, and oth 

 er fruit. They are more numerous and voracious in hot 

 climates. While in the island of Hayti, we left open, dur 

 ing only one night, a case containing more than three hun 

 dred specimens of valuable insects on pins, and the next 

 morning we were much grieved, as well as surprised, to 

 find the case entirely empty; nothing but the pins were left ; 

 all the insects had been devoured by the ants. No article 

 of food, no clothing, and no papers of importance can be 



