62 SOCIAL HABITATIONS. 
diameter, in order to see whether an army of Driver Ants 
is on the march. If so, it glides off, and abandons its 
prey, which will soon be devoured by the Ants; but if 
the ground is clear, it returns to the crushed animal, 
swallows it, and gives itself to repose until the process of 
digestion be completed. Whether this assertion be true 
or not, Dr. Savage cannot say; but it is here given in 
order to show the extreme awe in which the natives hold 
the Driver Ants. 
So completely is the dread of them on every living crea- 
ture, that on their approach whole villages are deserted, 
and in extreme cases the entire population is forced to take 
to the rivers, knowing that the insects will not enter water 
unless obliged to do so; although on occasions they do 
not hesitate to commit themselves to the waves, as will 
presently be seen. 
The order of their marching is very curious, and is 
well described by Dr. Savage :— 
“ Their sallies are made in cloudy days, and in the night, 
chiefly in the latter. This is owing to the uncongenial in- 
fluence of the sun, an exposure to the direct rays of which, 
especially when the power is increased by reflection, is 
almost instantaneously fatal. IPf they should be detained 
abroad till late in the morning of a sunny day by the 
quantity of their prey, they will construct arches over 
their path, of dirt agglutinated by a fluid excreted from 
their mouth. If their way should run under thick grass, 
sticks, &c., affording sufficient shelter, the arch is dis- 
pensed with; if not,so much dirt is added as is necessary 
to eke out the arch in connection with them. In the 
rainy season, or In a succession of cloudy days, the arch 
is seldom visible; their path, however, is very distinct, 
presenting a beaten appearance, and freedom from every- 
thing movable. 
