76 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



session of a pupa, it is generally very soon overcome. While 

 the main part of the army is penetrating into the nest to steal 

 the pupae, some divisions pursue the fugitives, to take away from 

 them the few pupae which may chance to have been saved. 

 They drive them even out of the cricket-holes in which they 

 have meanwhile taken refuge. In short, it is a razzia ^ or sweep- 

 ing burglary, as complete as can be imagined. In the retreat 

 the robbers in no wise hurry themselves, for they know that 

 they are threatened by no danger and no loss, and the complete 

 emptying of a large and distant nest often takes several days in 

 accomplishing. The ants which have been so thoroughly robbed 

 scarcely every return to their former abode. 



It must be admitted that a human army, robbing a foreign 

 town or fortress, could not behave better or more prudently. 



Huber gives the following account of a battle waged 

 by sanguine ants : — 



At ten, in a July morning, he noticed a small band of them 

 emerge from their nest, and march rapidly towards a nest of 

 negroes, around which it dispersed. A number of the blacka 

 rushed out, gave battle, and succeeded in defeating their in- 

 vaders, and in making several of them prisoners. Upon this, 

 the remainder of the attacking force waited for a reinforcement. 

 When this came up, they still declined further proceedings, 

 and sent more aides-de-camp to their own nest. The result of 

 these messages was a much larger reinforcement ; but even yet 

 the pirates appeared to shun the combat. At last, the negroes 

 marched out from their nest in a phalanx of about two feet 

 square, and a number of skirmishes began, which soon ended in 

 a general melee. Long before the event seemed certain, the 

 negroes carried off their pupae to the most distant part of the 

 nest ; and when, after a longer encounter, they appeared to think 

 further resistance vain, they retreated, attempting to take with 

 them their young. In this, however, they were prevented, and 

 the invaders obtained possession of their nest and the booty. 

 When they had done this, they put in a garrison, and occupied 

 the night and the succeeding day in carrying off their spoil. 



Biichner says — 



Battles between ants of the same species often end with a 

 lasting alliance, especially when the number of the workers on 

 both sides is comparatively small. The wise little animals under 

 such circumstances discover, much more quickly and better than 

 men, that they can only destroy each other by fighting, while 

 union would benefit both parties. Somedmes they drive each 



