126 HOME STUDIES IN NATURE. 



burden is easily carried, with Lasius clinging to the 

 opposite side, and holding on with untiring pertinacity, 

 occasionally preventing the rapid transit by bracing 

 herself against some object in the path. This seems to 

 provoke the soldier, who drops the fly, lays hold of 

 Lasius, and tears her in pieces, while the smaller Phei- 

 dole carries the prize to the city and disappears within 

 the gate. 



I placed six freshly killed horse-flies near the city, 

 any one of which was many times larger than one of 

 the Pheidoles. Two workers soon made the discovery, 

 and walked over and around this huge pile as if taking 

 its dimensions. Satisfied that it was beyond their pow- 

 er to do anything alone, they simultaneously started for 

 the city, as if each were anxious to be the first to im- 

 part the news. Not a soldier was visible, but several 

 must have been just within the gate, for they immedi- 

 ately came pouring out in large numbers, and at once 

 proceeded to this supply of food. The flies were soon 

 carried to the city, but were too large to drag through 

 the gate (the streets, or galleries, were much broader 

 than the gate from which they diverged) ; so they were 

 removed a short distance, and a company of laborers 

 was employed in enlarging the gate, while the soldiers 

 were engaged in cutting off the wings and legs from 

 the flies. Soon one was brought back to the gate, two 

 legs and a wing still adhering to the body. They tried 

 to take it in head first, but it would not go ; they lifted 

 it out and turned it round, but succeeded no better 



