OBSERVATIONS ON ANTS 123 



One sees an unbroken line of these returning warriors, each with its 

 dainty bit of the spoils. If the captive is too large for one ant to 

 carry conveniently, it is distributed in steaks and hams and then 

 brought to the den by a dozen individuals. I saw one ant struggling 

 towards the nest with a large span-worm. It was far too heavy for 

 her to transport alone and, perceiving this, a second individual 

 stopped to give assistance. After some difficulty, these two insects 

 slung the worm between their legs, stretched it to its full length and 

 by grasping it in their mandibles proceeded to the rear. 



Another ant with the body of a wood roach was assisted by a worker 

 who held the carrier's abdomen high in the air out of the way of her 

 burden, all the way to the nest. 



In observing the movements of the army I became so absorbed, that 

 the ants surrounded me without my being aware of it. They threw 

 their lines here and there through the jungle for a distance of two or 

 three hundred feet in every direction, and while I was in no danger, 

 I could not get beyond their rear guards without being attacked and 

 severely bitten. As I crossed through them with all haste, they 

 swarmed upon my shoes and socks, biting and stinging wherever they 

 could get through to the skin. 



The attack of these vile little creatures, whom I learned to hate 

 worse than anything else in the jungle, was so painful and poisonous 

 that I shall never forget it. It brought home to me, how horrible 

 must have been the deaths of those poor black men of Africa, who, in 

 punishment, were tied hand and foot and left in the path of the army 

 ants! 



It is a strange fact that many other insects were attracted rather 

 than frightened away by the army's movements. There were various 

 species of preying wasps, who, finding their favorite victims of cater- 

 pillars and spiders abundant, and already hunted from cover for them, 

 were quick to take advantage of conditions. They would hover above 



