452 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



stand immediately below tbe chain, held finnly to the branoh 

 with its hind limbs, and dexterously caught with its fore-legs 

 the end of the living chain as it swung past. The ladder was 

 thus completed, and fixed ready for the transit of insects ; and, 

 in a similar way, the whole tree was coveted with festoons of 

 Ants, until it was blackened with their sable bodies. 



They can even cross streams by means of these ladders. 

 Crawling to the end of a bough which overhangs the water, they 

 form themselves into a living chain, and add to its length until 

 the lowermost reaches the water. The long, wide-spread limbs of 

 the insect can sustain it upon the water, especially when aided 

 by its hold on the suspended comrade above. 



Ant after Ant pushes forward, and the floating portion of the 

 chain is thus lengthened, until the free end is swept by the 

 stream against the opposite bank. The Ant which forms the 

 extremity of the chain then clings to a stick, stone, or root, and 

 grasps it so finnly, that the chain is held tightly, and the Ants 

 can pass over their companions as over a suspension bridge. In 

 the illustration a column of Driver Ants is shown on the march. 

 The vanguard of the column has crossed the stream by means of 

 the living ladder, which is seen suspended &om a branch, and 

 extended across the water. The fragile tube which they build 

 is also shown, and a few of the larger architects are drawn ot 

 the natural size. The smaller specimens will not emerge from 

 the tunnel 



There is a species of Ant in Ceylon which makes living 

 bridges in precisely the same manner as the Driver Ant. In 

 Mr. E. Sullivan's " Bungalow and the Tent " there is the following 

 passage : — " I have seen Ants form a bridge from one stick to 

 another. I even saw one leave his companions, who were clus^ 

 tered at the end of a stick, unable to reach another at a short 

 distance, make a considerable circuit, ascend the stick they were 

 aiming at firom another direction, and by stretching* out his body 

 as fa; as possible, enable the pioneer of the main body to reach 

 him, and thus complete the chain of communication, by which 

 the rest immediately crossed. It would be difficult to prove 

 that this was not reason." 



Finding that the comparatively gradual action of fire per- 

 mitted the active insects to escape before the heat finally reached 

 them, Dr. Savage waited until they had settled in their home. 



