SLAVE-MAKING ANTS. 31 



they act very much like the slave- makers 

 when they are capturing another tribe. In 

 less than two minutes from the time I ex- 

 tract the worm a large force of workers has 

 come from the nest : not half the number 

 can assist in carrying the worm at the same 

 time, but they act as relays. About an equal 

 number are at each end, fewer toward the 

 middle. They all pull in the same direc- 

 tion ; this makes a loop of the worm, and 

 they must carry it through grass all the 

 way. A large number are just in front try- 

 ing to clear the road; grass is pulled down, 

 small sticks taken out of the way. I lay a 

 small stick three inches in length in their 

 path; it is immediately removed by the 

 force in front. But now they have become 

 hopelessly entangled in the grass ; they can 

 neither raise the worm nor pull it through ; 

 at last they cut it in two ; about two inches 

 of the dead part is taken oif and speedily 

 carried to the nest by a part of the workers. 

 The remaining portion of the worm con- 

 tracts, so that it is not much more than 

 three inches in length ; and now they move 

 along rapidly, and soon have it housed. In 

 less than live minutes after it is taken into 

 the nest not an ant is to be seen ; the door 

 is closed from the inside. This is the only 



