THE LAKE OF PITCH. 51 



These ants are not large, varying from a fifth to a third of 

 an inch in length, dark in color, with lighter red abdomens. 



Until one becomes accustomed to these scenes of carnage 

 the sight is really terrible, especially when one lies down 

 flat and takes an ant's-eye view of the field of battle. Yet 

 such is the fierceness and savage fury on one side and hopeless 

 terror or frantic efforts to escape on the part of the victims 

 that it needs but little imagination to stir deeply one's sym- 

 pathies. 



FIG. 26. STREAKED FLYCATCHER. 



In place of the steady advance of a well-drilled army, pre- 

 senting a solid front of serried ranks, the formation of the 

 hunting-ants may be compared to an innumerable host of 

 cavalry scouts who quarter the ground in every direction, 

 the whole army slowly advancing and including new terri- 

 tory in the scene of operations. Frequent flurries or louder 

 rustlings follow the discovery and the subsequent terrible 

 struggle of some quarry of noble size a huge beetle or 

 mighty lizard. 



