552 BLIND ANTS. 



He frequently saw these little creatures engaged apparently 

 in play, in the neighbourhood of their homes. Some were 

 walking slowly about, others were brushing their antennae 

 with their fore-feet ; but the drollest sight was to see them 

 cleaning one another. Here and there an ant was seen 

 stretching forth first one leg, then another, to be brushed or 

 washed by one or more of its comrades ; who performed the 

 task by passing the limb between the jaw and the tongiie, 

 finishing by giving the antennae a fiiendly wipe. 



There are two species of blind ecitons — which, however, 

 go on foraging expeditions, and even attack the nests of other 

 stinging species ; but, avoiding the light, they move always 

 under leaves and fallen branches : when the columns have to 

 pass a cleared space, "the ants form covered ways with gi-anules 

 of earth, arched over and holding together mechanicalty. 



BLIND ANTS. 



Two other species — Eciton vastator, and Eciton erratica 

 -both of which are blind, move entkely under covered ways 



in search of promising hunting-grounds. Their arcades are 

 sometimes two hundred yards in length, the grains of earth 

 being taken from the soil over which the column is passing, 

 and fitted together without cement. In this they are dis- 

 tinguished from the covered ways made by the termites, who 

 use a olutinous saliva for cementing- their edifices. These 

 blind ecitons build up the side of their convex arcade, and in 

 a wonderful manner contrive so to fit in the key-stones, with- 

 out allowing the loose uncemented structure to fall to pieces. 

 Whenever a breach is made in any of their covered ways, the 

 workers remain behind to repair the damage, while the sol- 

 diers issue forth in a menacino- manner, rearing their heads, 



