292 EDGE OF THE JUNGLE 
There were several places which made excel- 
lent points of observation, and here we watched 
and marveled. Cateful measurement of the great 
circle showed a circumference of twelve hundred 
feet. We timed the laden Ecitons and found 
that they averaged two to two and three-quarter 
inches a second. So a given individual would 
complete the round in about two hours and a 
half. Many guests were plodding along with the 
ants, mostly staphylinids of which we secured five 
species, a brown histerid beetle, a tiny chalcid, | 
and several Phorid flies, one of which was winged. 
The fat Histerid beetle was most amusing, get- 
ting out of breath every few feet, and abruptly 
stopping to rest, turning around in its tracks, 
standing almost on its head, and allowing the 
swarm of ants to run up over it and jump off. 
Then on it would go again, keeping up the ter- 
rific speed of two and a half inches a second for- 
another yard. Its color was identical with the. 
Ecitons’ armor, and when it folded up, nothing 
could harm it. Once a worker stopped and an- 
tenned it suspiciously, but aside from this, it was 
accepted as one of the line of marchers. Along 
the same route came the tiny Phorid flies, wing- 
less but swift as shadows, rushing from side to 
