114 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 



the ends of the whole net being fastened to the earthen 

 walls of the chamber. In each one of the squares, sup- 

 ported by the web, sits one of the honey-making ants (II.). 

 Here these honey makers live in perpetual confinement, 

 and receive a constant supply of flowers, pollen, &c., which 

 is continually being brought them by (I.), and which, by 

 a process analogous to that performed by the bee, they 

 convert into honey. 



Such is an epitome of the only account that the world 

 has yet received of the habits and economy of this wonder- 

 ful insect, whose instincts of military organization seem 

 to be not less wonderful than those of the Ecitons, though 

 in this case they are developed with reference to defence, 

 and not to aggression. It is especially noteworthy that 

 the black and yellow workers are believed to belong to 

 * two separate genera ;' for if this is the case, it is the only 

 one I can recall of two distinct species co-operating for a 

 common end ; for even the nearest parallel which we find 

 supplied in other species of ants maintaining aphides, is 

 not quite the same thing, seeing that the aphides are 

 merely passive agents, like Class II., of the honey-making 

 ant, and not actively co-operating members of the com- 

 munity, like Class I. 



Ecitons. — We have next to consider the habits of the 

 wonderful ' foraging,' or, as it might be more appropriately 

 called, the military ant of the Amazon. These insects, 

 which belong to several species of the same genus, have 

 been carefully watched by Belt, Bates, and other natural- 

 ists. The following facts must therefore be accepted as^ 

 fully established. 



Eciton legionis moves in- enormous armies, and every- 

 thing that these insects do is done with the most perfect 

 instinct of military organization. The army marches in 

 the form of a rather broad and regular column, hundreds 

 of yards in length. The object of the march is the capture 

 and plunder of other insects, &c., for food, and as the 

 well-organised host advances, its devastating legions set 

 all other terrestrial life at defiance. From the main 

 column there are sent out smaller lateral columns, the 

 composing individuals of which play the part of scouts. 



