38 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



the grass in the grove, about sixty feet from 

 the iiest of the invaders. I was not aware 

 of its existence, although I must have passed 

 over it frequently. 



It is toward evening when the marauders 

 come down upon this large, peaceful colony, 

 and the inhabitants flee in every direction, 

 not making the least exertion to defend 

 themselves; the grass is fairly black with 

 the fugitives. There are some ten or a doz- 

 en openings in the space of a yard, through 

 which they are pouring out. The red ants 

 simply dance around the openings with ex- 

 tended mandibles, scarcely even attacking 

 the fugitives, yet seeming excited and im- 

 patient to get to the nest, which is impossi- 

 ble for them to do while so many are com- 

 ing out. Finally they get possession of the 

 nest, and commence transporting the pupa3 

 to their own dominions. I see no larvss, 

 and most of the pupae are naked ; seldom is 

 one enclosed in a cocoon. 



It is growing quite dusk, and still they 

 work on, but the line is evidently thinning. 

 At nine o'clock I take a light and find a 

 very few engaged in work. At six in the 

 morning I still find a few carrying pupa3, 

 but byeight o'clock the force is all out ; the 

 line is from four to five inches in width, and 



