INSECTA. 189 



and nymphae. Although, for the most part, ants live in 

 great amity and concord together, furious contests some- 

 times ensue, in which they kilf each other ; their weap- 

 ons are their stings, or those who have no stings use 

 their mandibles. With the latter they first inflict the 

 wound and afterwards spurt the acrid fluid into it. The 

 workers are the only warriors ; males and females con- 

 ceal themselves as soon as the strife begins. The fury 

 with which they assail each other is so great that the 

 head, separated from the trunk by the teeth of the con- 

 queror, remains clinging to him. From two ant hills, 

 lying near each other, and occupied by hostile parties, 

 the way between perhaps only one hundred feet pro- 

 ceed so numerous a host that the phalanx covers a space 

 two feet broad, where the battle rages. The combat 

 mostly begins between two ants ; these wound each other 

 with their mandibles, and eject their venomous fluid until 

 a third interferes, and so on until the meUe is general. 

 Towards night both parties retire, bearing their prisoners 

 with them, leaving the dead where they fell. The ordi- 

 nary operations of the two cities were not suspended 

 whilst the battle was being fought ; friend and foe were 

 easily distinguished by these sagacious little emmets, and 

 as those within the anthill, employed in their tasks, had 

 nothing to eat, except what the others brought, they 

 received the caterers with caresses, bestowed by moving 

 their antennae, whilst they fed on the stores thus pro- 

 vided. 



The Yellow Ant never leaves its home, but in its hab- 

 its resembles the aphida. Very remarkable, also, is 



The Red Amazon or Legionary Ant (formica rufes- 

 cens), which sally forth in the summer evenings in large 

 troops, and attacking the nests of the negro or ash- 



