] [ THE WAYS OF THE ANT 



crunching and sawing until she had severed the 

 head, notwithstanding in the meantime one or 

 several of her own legs had been cut off by her 

 antagonist. This was the usual outcome of the 

 various individual combats. 



From time to time I placed pairs of combatants 

 on the slide of a dissecfting lens, and through the 

 glass observed them as in an arena. It was a min- 

 iature combat of gladiators, but with no appeal 

 for mercy on the part of the vanquished. Much 

 evidently depended on the best hold, as in wrest- 

 ling, for there was no dislodging an ant once she 

 had secured it. Under the lens the comparatively 

 great strength and the skill and relentless ferocity 

 of these miniature warriors became more evident 

 and was astonishing to witness. 



A bird's-eye view of the battle-field revealed no 

 plan of adlion nor any directing genius. It was 

 every one for himself or rather herself but 

 there was absolute unity of purpose. Occasionally 

 some could be seen running about with the heads 

 of the vanquished suspended on their antennae, 

 whereon the jaws had closed in the death-struggle, 

 not again to be relaxed. These ants appeared to 

 seek no relief from such a monstrous encumbrance, 



103 



