THE HARVESTING-ANTS OF FLORIDA. 91 



was in nowise injured. Her first movement 

 was to make herself presentable by pass- 

 ing her forelegs over her head and body: 

 as soon as this was completed she returned 

 within the nest. But there was one large 

 soldier which the whole community seemed 

 combined against. She was led or dragged 

 away from the entrance of the nest eight 

 times, and each time left at the base of the 

 mound among the rubbish. Sometimes she 

 was led or carried by one alone, sometimes 

 two or three would conduct her, and then 

 leave her, when she would at once proceed 

 to make her toilet ; which completed, she 

 would again return to the door of the nest, 

 when she would be again conducted away, 

 offering no resistance. I now picked her up, 

 which made her very fierce. She seized my 

 glove with her powerful mandibles, and held 

 on with a persistency equal to the most vi- 

 cious species, at the same time trying to use 

 her sting. As soon as I could free her from 

 the glove I secured her, and on reaching home 

 placed her under the microscope, and found 

 she was not injured, and had strong teeth in 

 her mandibles. 



Ou the next day I returned her to tho 

 nest, and again she was met by the indig- 

 nant police at the door and conducted awayt 



