THE ARMY ANTS' HOME TOWN 71 



which drives so many creatures to the same hom- 

 ing, at the approach of death. 



Even in their helplessness they were wonder- 

 ful. To see a big black-headed worker strug- 

 gling up a post with five short stumps and only 

 one good hind leg, was a lesson in achieving the 

 impossible. I have never seen even a suspicion 

 of aid given to any cripple, no matter how slight 

 or how complete the disability; but frequently 

 a strange thing occurred, which I have often 

 noticed but can never explain. One army ant 

 would carry another, perhaps of its own size 

 and caste, just as if it were a bit of dead prov- 

 ender; and I always wondered if cannibalism 

 was to be added to their habits. I would cap- 

 ture both, and the minute they were in the vial, 

 the dead ant would come to life, and with equal 

 vigor and fury both would rush about their 

 prison, seeking to escape, becoming indistinguish- 

 able in the twinkling of an eye. 



Very rarely an ant stopped and attempted to 

 clean another which had become partly disabled 

 through an accumulation of gummy sap or other 

 encumbering substance. But when a leg or other 

 organ was broken or missing, the odor of the 

 ant-blood seemed to arouse only suspicion and 



