460 THE WHITE ANTS. 



and are carried under ground, but near the surface, 

 to great distances, for the purpose of foraging. 



When a breach is made in one of the walls by 

 an ax, or other instrument, the first object that 

 attracts attention is the behaviour of the soldiers or 

 fighting insects. Immediately after the blow is 

 given, a soldier comes out, walks about the breach, 

 and seems to examine the nature of the eneniv, or 

 the cause of the attack. He then goes into the 

 hill, gives the alarm, and, in a short time, large bo- 

 dies rush out as fast as the breach will permit. It 

 is not easy to describe the fury that actuates these 

 fighting insects. In their eagerness to repel the 

 enemy, they frequently tumble down the sides of 

 the hill, but recover themselves very quickly, and 

 bite every thing they encounter. This biting, join- 

 ed to the striking of their forceps upon the build- 

 ing, makes a crackling or vibrating noise, which is 

 somewhat shriller and quicker than the ticking of 

 a watch, and may be heard at the distance of several 

 feet. While the attack proceeds, they are in the 

 most violent bustle and agitation. If they get hold 

 of any part of a man's body, they instantly make a 

 wound which gives some pain. When they attack 

 the \e<r, the stain of blood upon the stocking ex- 

 tends more than an inch in width. They make 

 their hooked jaws meet at the first stroke, and never 

 quit their hold, but will suffer themselves to be 

 pulled away piece after piece, without any attempt 

 to escape. On the other hand, if a person keeps 

 out of their reach, and gives them no farther dis- 

 turbance, in less than half an hour they retire into 



