190 



FLASHLIGHTS ON NATURE 



plenty. Then Sir John provided her with a single 

 slave ; instantly, the industrious little creature set 

 to work to clean and arrange her mistress, and to 

 offer her food. This is a striking illustration of the 

 moral truth that slavery is at least as demoralising 

 for the master as for his servant. 



No. 5 introduces us to a passing phase in a 

 combat of ants a life-and-death conflict between 



two single an- 

 tagonists. Ants, 

 indeed, are des- 

 perate fighters ; 

 the workers and 

 perfect females 

 have sometimes 

 stings, like the 

 bees and wasps ; 

 but in most 

 species they 

 fight by biting 

 with their jaws, 

 which are moul- 

 ded into strong 



and vice-like nippers or pincers. Moreover, they 

 have a gland which secretes the same poisonous 

 material as that contained in the venom-bag of the 

 sting among wasps and bees ; and after the ant has 

 made a hole with her jaw in her enemy's armour, 

 she injects into it a little of this painful irritating 

 acid, which kills small insects. During a battle, 

 ants are all most reckless of their own lives ; indeed, 

 no ant seems ever to consider herself by compari- 



Et 



NO. 5. PAYING OFF OLD SCORES: A LIFE- 

 AND-DEATH CONFLICT. 



