64 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



limp and crumpled up. The large ant was dragging 

 away his victim along the foraging path in the direction 

 of the pampas grass. I followed. The large ant had pro- 

 ceeded for the distance of about fifty feet or so ; then he 

 met another ant of much his own size coming home- 

 wards. The two ants stopped and entered into a 

 conversation, as it seemed, through their antennae. 



The conversation continued for some time. When 

 it had ended the victor ant released his hold of his 

 victim, turned, and went back to the nest. The other 

 ant also turned, took hold of the apparent corpse of the 

 small ant by one leg, and commenced to retrace his 

 steps, dragging the body along behind him. He 

 dragged it to near the end of the track ; then he let 

 it go and departed. 



The small ant lay motionless where it was left for 

 some little while. Then, to my surprise, it began to 

 move. Next it rose and commenced to clean off the 

 dust from its head and face with its front feet. This 

 done, it stood motionless for about the space of a 

 minute. Then it commenced to crawl away ; it moved 

 at first very slowly and with apparent difficulty, and 

 seemed half dazed. Presently it proceeded more 

 briskly. Finally it broke into a trot, and ran off ap- 

 parently quite well. 



I now returned to the nest ; the fighting was going 

 on as actively as ever. I arrived just in time to witness 

 the commencement of an interesting combat. Two 

 large and equally matched ants came out of the nest 

 together. As soon as they were clear of the entrance, 

 they stopped, turned, and faced each other. They then 





