Chap. V. ECITON LEGIONIS. 353 



smallest, so that all are able to take part in the common 

 labours, of the colony. The chief employment of the 

 species seems to be plundering the nests of a large and 

 defenceless ant of another genus (Formica), whose 

 mangled bodies I have often seen in their possession, as 

 they were marching away. The armies of Eciton rapax 

 are never very numerous. 



Eciton legionis. — Another species, E. legionis, agrees 

 with E. rapax in having workers not rigidly divisible 

 into two classes ; but it is much smaller in size, not 

 differing greatly, in this respect, from our common 

 English red ant (Myrmica rubra), which it also re- 

 sembles in colour. The Eciton legionis lives in open 

 places, and was seen only on the sandy campos of San- 

 tarem. The movements of its hosts were, therefore, 

 much more easy to observe than those of all other 

 kinds, which inhabit solely the densest thickets ; its 

 sting and bite, also, were less formidable than those of 

 other species. The armies of E. legionis consist of 

 many thousands of individuals, and move in rather 

 broad columns. They are just as quick to break line, 

 on being disturbed, and attack hurriedly and furiously 

 any intruding object as the other Ecitons. The species 

 is not a common one, and I seldom had good oppor- 

 tunities of watching its habits. The first time I saw 

 an army, was one evening near sunset. The column 

 consisted of two trains of ants, moving in opposite 

 directions ; one train empty-handed, the other laden 

 with the mangled remains of insects, chiefly larvae and 

 pupae of other ants. I had no difficulty in tracing the 

 line to the spot from which they were conveying their 



VOL. II. A 



