INSTINCTS OF HARVESTING ANTS 33 



nest. The harvesters occasionally indulge in a similar 

 pastime. One fine evening, about an hour before 

 dusk, I noticed a group of harvesters assembled 

 around the aperture of their nest, and playing about 

 in so leisurely a manner that one might believe they 

 were indulging in a general recreation after the day's 

 hard work, and were enjoying the cool of the evening 

 before retiring to rest. The ants were creeping about 

 in a lazy, quiet manner. Some were rubbing one 

 another with their antennae as though they were giving 

 a display of their affection. Others were cleaning 

 themselves after the toil of the day and paid special 

 attention to their antennae, which they continually 

 stroked with their legs. Others were more active and 

 engaged in play or mimic warfare. Workers would 

 snap at one another as if in friendly battle. Sometimes 

 one ant would seize the other ; a playful struggle 

 would ensue ; then a third ant would join in the 

 contest and all would tumble over and over like little 

 children rolling about in fun. The ants would then 

 cease their friendly wrestle and run off to find another 

 opponent and have another tumble. Like little puppies 

 they seemed to enjoy snapping at one another and 

 then springing away before the offended ant could 

 retaliate with a mock display of anger. But there was 

 no bad feeling, no true quarrel. The group was 

 engaged in what appeared to be playful rivalry, and 

 every ant seemed to be enjoying an idle recreation. 



The harvester is of an unwarlike disposition. In 

 all likelihood if a community were to use all its 

 organized force, its rigid discipline, its undivided efforts 

 in an attack on other species, but few could withstand 

 its onslaught. Fortunately for insect life it is not a 



D 



