EXPEDITION INTO THE JUNGLE 43 



bat outside my tent. A large number of very tiny ones 

 were busily attaching themselves to legs and antennae 

 of both fighters, who did not, however, greatly mind the 

 small fellows, which were repeatedly shaken off as the pair 

 moved along in deadly grip. 



One of the combatants clasped his nippers firmly 

 around one leg of the other, which for several hours strug- 

 gled in vain to get free. A small ant was hanging on to 

 one of the victor's antennae, but disappeared after a couple 

 of hours. Under a magnifying-glass I could see that 

 each fighter had lost a leg. I placed the end of a stick 

 against the legs of the one that was kept in this merciless 

 vice, and he immediately attached himself to it. As I lifted 

 the stick up he held on by one leg, supporting in this way 

 both his own weight and that of his antagonist. Finally, 

 they ceased to move about, but did not separate in spite 

 of two heavy showers in the afternoon, and at four 

 o'clock they were still maintaining their relative posi- 

 tions; but next morning they and the other ants had dis- 

 appeared. 



