SLAVE-MAKING ANTS. ZO 



dered.* They go so directly to this spot that 

 it looks as if it must have been a precon- 

 certed plan. This colony also proves to be 

 a small one, and the inhabitants all flee, leav- 

 ing the young to be captured. In less than 

 two hours the spoilers have transferred the 

 young to their own nest ; and new, appar- 

 ently satisfied with their day's work, they 

 make preparation to close the entrance 

 the blacks are clearing the passages which 

 their masters have littered while carrying 

 in their booty. As soon as the passages are 

 cleared, a large force is engaged in closing 

 the entrance, and this proves to be a perma- 

 nent closing. About the same hour, for sev- 

 eral days in succession, the blacks continue 

 to pile material on and around this closed 

 door; but only a few inches distant from, 

 this a small opening is being greatly en- 

 larged, which leads to several different gal- 

 leries. 



I supply the ants with coarse granulated 

 sugar ; they immediately commence to carry * 

 grain by grain to their storehouse. Occa- 

 sionally I notice that an ant carries a grain 

 opposite to the nest and drops it, and then 

 returns to the sugar and takes the next to 

 the nest. I moisten the end of my pencil 

 and pick up the discarded grain, and find it 



