72 ^PERFECT SOCIETIES OF INSECTS. 



But if you would see more numerous armies engaged, 

 and survey war in all its forms, you must witness the 

 combats of ants of the same species, you must go into 

 the woods where the hill-ant of Gould (F. rufa) erects 

 its habitations. There you will sometimes behold popu- 

 lous and rival cities, like Rome and Carthage, as if they 

 had vowed each other's destruction, pouring forth their 

 myriads by the various roads that, like rays, diverge on 

 all sides from their respective metropolises, to decide by 

 an appeal to arms the fate of their little world. As the 

 exploits of frogs and mice were the theme of Homer's 

 muse, so, were I gifted like him, might I celebrate on 

 this occasion the exhibition of Myrmidonian valour; but, 

 alas ! I am Davus, not CEdipus ; you must therefore rest 

 contented, if I do my best in plain prose ; and I trust 

 you will not complain if, being unable to ascertain the 

 name of any one of my heroes, my Myrmidonomackia be 

 perfectly anonymous. 



Figure to yourself two of these cities equal in size and 

 population, and situated about a hundred paces from 

 each other; observe their countless numbers, equal to 

 the population of two mighty empires. The whole space 

 which separates them for the breadth of twenty-four 

 inches appears alive with prodigious crowds of their in- 

 habitants. The armies meet midway between their re- 

 spective habitations, and there join battle. Thousands 

 of champions, mounted on more elevated spots, engage 

 in single combat, and seize each other with their power- 

 ful jaws ; a still greater number are engaged on both 

 sides in taking prisoners, which make vain efforts to es- 

 cape, conscious of the cruel fate which awaits them when 

 arrived at the hostile formicary. The spot where the 



