136 HOME STUDIES IN NATUKE. 



July and August, and always in the afternoon, usually 

 between the hours of two and four. Their march is 

 unlike that of any other tribe in this country. A dozen 

 or more of the advance wheel and fall back in the 

 ranks ; those coming after make the same move ; and 

 so they continue, constantly changing places, until they 

 reach the black colony, upon which they make war and 

 rob them of their young. When they return with their 

 plunder they march in a direct line — no turning back in 

 the ranks. The slaves always remain at home during 

 these raids ; but they receive the young blacks from 

 their masters, feed and nurse them, and rear them as 

 slaves to wait on and serve their owners. As no slaves 

 are born in the homes of Polyergus, it is needful each 

 year to renew the stock from surrounding colonies. 



In order to study the chai^acter of Polyergus more 

 thoroughly, I captured several and made them pris- 

 oners. I gave them every necessary accommodation, 

 and placed an abundance of food before them. But 

 they seemed to scorn the idea of labor, and would not 

 even feed themselves. I kept them in this condition 

 three days, until I was satisfied they would all die with- 

 out their slaves, so I put a few in the prison with them. 

 These faithful creatures manifested joy on meeting 

 their half-famished masters. They stroked and licked 

 them, removing all dust from their bodies, and prepared 

 food and fed them ; finally they excavated a room for 

 them, and took them from my sight. 



