NATURAL HISTORY. 143 



together, and spirt a sort of venomous or 

 poisonous juice upon each other. These will 

 be followed by thousands of others on both 

 sides, who seize each other in the same way, 

 and fight in pairs ant to ant. Sometimes 

 they will get so wedged together that they 

 fall down upon their sides, but they do not 

 let go on that account ; they keep on fighting 

 in the dust until they rise on their feet again. 

 Sometimes, too, a third ant will come in, and 

 joining whichever of them belongs to his 

 nest, the two will begin to drag the third, 

 until some of his friends come to his help ; 

 and in this way, others joining on both sides, 

 they will form strings of six, or eight, or ten 

 on a side, pulling with all their strength. 

 And while some are fighting, you will see 

 others leading off prisoners towards their 

 hills, while the prisoners are trying to escape. 

 The field of battle is not more, perhaps, than 

 three feet square ; multitudes of dead ants 

 covered with venom may be seen upon it, 

 and there is a very strong scent which comes 

 from it. When night comes they go off to 

 their hills. Before dawn the next day they 

 are at it again in still larger numbers^ and 

 they fight with greater fury than before, until 



