176 ASSOCIATION OF ORGANISMS THE WEB OF LIFE 



community, thus using them completely as slaves; and, as far as 

 we yet know, the kidnappers are red or pale-coloured ants, and 

 the slaves, like the ill-treated natives of Africa, are of a jet black 

 [or at any rate dark in hue]. The time for capturing slaves 

 extends over a period of about ten weeks, and never commences 

 till the male and female ants are about emerging from the pupa 

 stage, and thus the ruthless marauders never interfere with the 

 continuation of the species; this instinct seems specially provided, 

 for were the slave ants created for no other end than to fill the 



Fig. 1126. Slave Raid of Amazon Ants (Polyergus rufescens] 



station of slavery to which they appear to be doomed, still even 

 that office must fail were the attacks to be made on their nests 

 before the winged myriads have departed, or are departing, 

 charged with the duty of continuing their kind. When the red 

 ants are about to sally forth on a marauding expedition, they send 

 scouts to ascertain the exact position in which a colony of negroes 

 may be found; these scouts having discovered the object of their 

 search, return to the nest and report their success. Shortly after- 

 wards the army of red ants marches forth, headed by a vanguard, 

 which is perpetually changing; the individuals which constitute it, 

 when they have advanced a little before the main body, halting, 

 falling into the rear, and being replaced by others; this vanguard 

 consists of eight or ten ants only. When they have arrived near 

 the negro colony, they disperse, wandering through the herbage 



