Ants of Equatorial Africa. 471 



but wander about in search of prey ; should they in their progress 

 be exposed to the heat of the sun, they construct arches or covered 

 ways, of agglutinated sand or earth. They kill and carry off 

 their prey, tearing it into pieces. Their hold is very tenacious ; 

 they never leave go except when their head is torn from their 

 body. If a small stream intercept their march, they compass it 

 by throwing across a bridge of their own bodies, over which the 

 whole column passes. The dread of them rests on every living 

 thing, they drive everything before them capable of motion ; the 

 entrance of these ants into dwellings is instantly known by the 

 simultaneous movements of rats, mice, lizards, cockroaches, &c. : 

 even man bows to this numerous foe. By accumulation, its bite 

 is fatal to the largest animal. The native account of these ants 

 is, that they sometimes attack and destroy the great Python Na- 

 talensis. 



Such is the history, or rather a part of it, as detailed by Dr. 

 Savage; we shall now proceed to extract the principal or more 

 remarkable portions of M. du Chaillu's narrative, premising that 

 its close resemblance to the above is truly remarkable, not only in 

 the similarity of events, but particularly so for the exact unifor- 

 mity in which they succeed each other. 



'• The Bashikouay ant is very abundant in the whole region of 

 Equatorial Africa, and is the most voracious creature I ever met 

 with. I do not think they build a nest of any kind, nor do they 

 carry away prey of any kind, but eat all on the spot ; they march 

 through the forest in long regular lines about two inches broad, 

 very often several miles in length. All along this line are larger 

 ants, that act as officers and keep the army in regular order. If 

 they come to a place where there is no shelter from the sun, they 

 build under-ground tunnels from four to five feet under ground ; 

 through this the whole army passes. When hungry, they attack 

 and devour everything that falls in their way. The elephant 

 and gorilla fly before them ; the black men run for their lives. 

 They seem to travel by night and by day ; when they enter a house 

 they clear it of all living things, — cockroaches, rats and mice spring 

 round the room in vain ; an overwhelming force of ants kills a 

 strong rat, in less than a minute its bones are stript. When on 

 a march the insect world flies before them, and I have often 

 had the approach of the Bashikouay army heralded by these 

 means. 



" Their manner of attack is an impetuous leap ; instantly the 

 strong pincers are fastened, iand they only let go when the piece 

 gives way. Two very remarkable practices of theirs remain to be 



