50 OUR SEARCH FOR A WILDERNESS. 



tails were too loosely attached for use; Ant-birds crept low 

 through the bushes and carried their prey to a twig to eat; 

 two American Redstarts 128b and several Tyrant Flycatchers 

 caught their prey by a sudden dart and a snap of the beak. 

 One species in particular, the Streaked Flycatcher, 105 was 

 always attendant on the ants and always fearless, watching 

 us and yet never missing a chance to snap up a passing 

 insect. 



FlG. 25. WOODHEWER CLINGING TO THE TRUNK OF A TREE. 



As we drew nearer, a strange rustling sound reached our 

 ears, like the regular pattering of raindrops, and before we 

 knew it we were standing in the midst of thousands of active 

 ants, whose rushing and scrambling about over the dead 

 leaves caused the loud rustling. In a few seconds twenty 

 or thirty ants had climbed upon and above our shoes, and 

 their sharp, nipping bites sent us in haste to the flanks of the 

 army, where we freed ourselves from the fierce creatures. 



