24 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



place, and to prevent another such catastro- 

 phe the sudden sweeping away of their 

 work. And I respect their industry and 

 courage sufficiently to leave them for this 

 evening in their imaginary safety. 



Toward noon of the next day the blacks 

 open the large entrance, dragging the mate- 

 rial with which it is closed to one side ; and 

 now the soldiers come out in full force, and 

 march in a straight line to a spot about 

 thirty feet distant ; here they diverge, and 

 seem to be hunting over the ground; soon 

 they find a small colony of blacks. The 

 greatest excitement now prevails among the 

 invaders ; some are passing down the main 

 entrance, while others are rushing about 

 with extended mandibles prepared for con- 

 flict ; but the blacks are escaping from an- 

 other opening a few inches distant, not try- 

 ing to defend their young in the least. Very 

 soon the marauders emerge, each with a lar- 

 va or pupa. Those outside, seeming satis- 

 fied that there will be no battle, quiet down 

 and join the ranks in ravaging the nest. In 

 less than an hour the spoils are all taken ; 

 and the marauders, not satisfied in sacking 

 so small a settlement, again form in line and 

 march directly to another colony a few feet 

 beyond the one they have so recently plun- 



