18 DIFFERENT CLASSES OF INDIVIDUALS. 
or four seizing an enemy at once, and then pulling 
different ways, so that she on her part cannot get at 
any one of her foes. One of them then jumps on 
her back and cuts, or rather saws, off her head. In 
battles between this ant and the much larger J’. pra- 
tensis, many of the F. exsectas may be seen on the 
backs of the F. pratensis, sawing off their heads from 
behind. 
The species of Lasius make up in numbers what 
they want in strength. Several of them seize an 
enemy at once, one by each of her legs or antenne, 
and when they have once taken hold they will suffer 
themselves to be cut in pieces rather than leave go. 
Polyergus rufescens, the celebrated slave-making 
or Amazon ant, has a mode of combat almost peculiar 
to herself. The jaws are very powerful, and pointed. 
If attacked—if, for instance, another ant seizes her by 
a leg—she at once takes her enemy’s head into her 
jaws, which generally makes her quit her hold. If she 
does not, the Polyergus closes her mandibles, so that 
the points pierce the brain of her enemy, paralysing 
the nervous system. The victim falls in convulsions, 
setting free her terrible foe. In this manner a com- 
paratively small force of Polyergus will fearlessly 
attack much larger armies of other species, and suffer 
themselves scarcely any loss. 
Under ordinary circumstances an ants’ nest, like 
a beehive, consists of three kinds of individuals: 
workers, or imperfect females (which constitute the 
