SLAVE-MAKING ANTS. 17 



grip to liis adversary's foreleg. The red 

 hero soon severs the head from the black 

 soldier, and leaves it hanging to the leg of 

 his dying comrade. He now goes to anoth- 

 er conple who are still fiercely contending ; 

 he seizes the black, and now all three roll 

 and tumble about together; but the black 

 is soon killed, and, as in the other case, his 

 mandibles are locked on his adversary's leg. 

 But this time our hero does not sever the 

 head from the black soldier, but leaves his 

 comrade to free himself as best lie can, 

 while he goes to the assistance of a third 

 less fortunate brother, where the black 

 seems to have the better of his antagonist. 

 Here a long struggle ensues, and now an- 

 other red soldier has despatched his oppo- 

 nent, and he conies to the struggling three, 

 moves about them in an excited manner, 

 with his mandibles stretched wide apart, 

 waiting his opportunity to fasten them on 

 the black ; he finds his chance, seizes him 

 between the thorax and abdomen, and sev- 

 ers the body in two; but the dying black 

 does not relax his hold of the first antago- 

 nist, and they die together. 



I now leave the fierce combatants for the 

 night. In the morning I find that every 

 black is killed, and four red soldiers are 

 2 



