ChapV. A RETURNING ARM V. 355 



their prey, the little Ecitons seemed to be divided into 

 parties, one set excavating, and another set carrying 

 away the grains of earth. When the shafts became 

 rather deep, the mining parties had to climb up the 

 sides each time they wished to cast out a pellet of 

 earth ; but their work was lightened for them by com- 

 rades, who stationed themselves at the mouth of the 

 shaft, and relieved them of their burthens, carrying the 

 particles, with an appearance of foresight which quite 

 staggered me, a sufficient distance from the edge of the 

 hole to prevent them from rolling in again. All the 

 work seemed thus to be performed by intelligent co- 

 operation amongst the host of eager little creatures ; 

 but still there was not a rigid division of labour, for 

 some of them, whose proceedings I watched, acted at 

 one time as carriers of pellets, and at another as miners, 

 and all shortly afterwards assumed the office of con- 

 veyors of the spoil. 



In about two hours, all the nests of Formicae were 

 rifled, though not completely, of their contents, and I 

 turned towards the army of Ecitons, which were carrying 

 away the mutilated remains. For some distance there 

 were many separate lines of them moving along the 

 slope of the bank ; but a short distance off, these all 

 converged, and then formed one close and broad column, 

 which continued for some sixty or seventy yards, and 

 terminated at one of those large termitariums already 

 described in a former chapter as being constructed of a 

 material as hard as stone. The broad and compact 

 column of ants moved up the steep sides of the hil- 

 lock in a continued stream ; many, which had hitherto 



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