SEQUELS 291 



parently lacking any definite concerted action. 

 At six o'clock the following morning I started 

 out for a swim, when at the foot of the laboratory 

 steps I saw a swiftly-moving, broad line of army 

 ants on safari, passing through the compound to 

 the beach. I traced them back under the ser- 

 vants' quarters, through two clumps of bamboos 

 to the out -house. Later I followed along the 

 column down to the river sand, through a dense 

 mass of underbrush, through a hollow log, up the 

 bank, back through light jungle — to the out- 

 house again, and on a large fallen log, a few feet 

 beyond the spot where their nest had been, the 

 ends of the circle actually came together! It 

 was the most astonishing thing, and I had to 

 Verify it again and again before I could believe 

 the evidence of my eyes. It was a strong column, 

 six lines wide in many places, and the ants fully 

 believed that they were on their way to a new 

 home, for most were carrying eggs or larv^, al- 

 though many had food, including the larvge of 

 the Painted Nest Wasplets. For an hour at 

 noon during heavy rain, the column weakened 

 and almost disappeared, but when the sun re- 

 turned, the lines rejoined, and the revolution of 

 the vicious circle continued^ 



