90 TWO CHAPTERS ON ANTS. 



sometimes pushing, sometimes dragging, her 

 through the sand, and she would be as quiet 

 as if dead or dying ; but if we touch the lit- 

 tle worker, she leaves her burden and rushes 

 about to see what the interference means ; 

 and now the soldier straightens up, as bright 

 and lively as the rest, and after passing her 

 forelegs over her head and body, goes of her 

 own accord into the new nest, meeting with 

 no opposition. Some of the ants would coil 

 up and allow themselves to be carried easily. 

 Others were led along by an antenna or a 

 leg, in either case manifesting no resistance. 

 For three hours I watched the proceeding, 

 and could see no fighting. It looked pre- 

 cisely as if the inhabitants of the jar real- 

 ized their helpless condition, and gladly sub- 

 mitted to be taken prisoners, or to become 

 partners with this new firm. 



I left them, and after the lapse of two 

 hours again visited the spot. The seeds 

 that had been in the jar were now being 

 transferred to the other nest, and two new 

 entrances at the base of the mound were 

 being made. And now every little while 

 an ant would be ejected from the nest. Oue 

 w r orker would bring another out and lay her 

 down, often not more than three inches away 

 from the door, but, so far as I could see, she 



