UNDER THE MAPLES. 135 



many pages to do it justice ; but I can devote only a 

 short space to this singular species, which is wholly 

 dependent upon its slaves for its continued existence. 

 These ants are very powerful warriors, and are furnished 

 with sickle-shaped, pointed mandibles, sharp as spears, 

 with which they can impale an enemy with great facil- 

 ity. Their wonderful prowess and skill in war seems 

 to be recognized by all of .the various tribes of the 

 country. They are a ruddy race, about half an inch 

 in length, with bright, shining coats; a nervous haste 

 characterizes their movements. They make slaves of 

 but one tribe of blacks {Formica schaufussii), whereas 

 the other slave - makers {F. sanguinea) attack any and 

 all tribes which they can overpower.* 



From the indolent habits of Polyergus, and from the 

 fact that they are never seen except on the war-path, 

 it has been supposed that they are of rare occurrence. 

 But in New Jersey they are quite as numerous as San- 

 guineas. By carefully observing the movements of the 

 latter, I have been enabled to detect several colonies of 

 the former of whose existence I was before unaware. 

 If the Sanguineas pass a colony of blacks without at- 

 tacking it, it is good evidence that the blacks are the 

 slaves of the Polyergus. This can soon be ascertained 

 by keeping watch over the colony. 



The raids of Polyergus are made in the months of 



* A detailed account of this latter species is published by Harper 

 & Brothers in a number of their Half-Hour Series. 



