HEATHLANDS 



They were ants, but of a very much larger 

 species than the little red and black " emmets " 

 which exist in the meadows. These horse ants 

 were not much less than half an inch in length, 

 with a round spot at each end like beads, or the 

 black top of long pins. The length of their legs 

 enabled them to move much quicker, and they 

 raced to and fro over the path with great rapidity. 

 The space covered by the stream was a foot or 

 more broad, all of which was crowded and darkened 

 by them, and as there was no cessation in the flow 

 of this multitude, their numbers must have been 

 immense. 



Standing a short way back, so as not to interfere 

 with their proceedings, I saw two of these insects 

 seize hold of a twig, one at each end. The twig, 

 which was dead and dry, and had dropped from a 

 fir, was not quite so long as a match, but rather 

 thicker. They lifted this stick with ease, and 

 carried it along, exactly as labourers carry a plank. 

 A few short blades of grass being in the way they 

 ran up against them, but stepped aside, and so got 

 by. A cart which had passed a long while since 

 had forced down the sand by the weight of its 

 load, leaving a ridge about three inches high, the 

 side being perpendicular. 



Till they came to this cliff the two ants moved 

 parallel, but here one of them went first, and 

 135 



