STRONGYLOGNATHUS AND ANERGATES. 89 
comparatively recently taken to slave-making, has not as 
yet been materially affected. 
Polyergus, on the contrary, already illustrates the 
lowering tendency of slavery. They have lost their 
knowledge of art, their natural affection for their 
young, and even their instinct of feeding! They are, 
however, bold and powerful marauders. 
In Strongylognathus, the enervating influence of 
slavery has gone further, and told even on the bodily 
strength. They are no longer able to capture their 
slaves in fair and open warfare. Still they retain a 
semblance of authority, and, when roused, will fight 
bravely, though in vain. 
In Anergates, finally, we come to the last scene of 
this sad history. We may safely conclude that in 
distant times their ancestors lived, as so many ants 
do now, partly by hunting, partly on honey; that by 
degrees they became bold marauders, and gradually took 
to keeping slaves; that for a time they maintained 
their strength and agility, though losing by degrees 
their real independence, their arts,and even many of 
their instincts; that gradually even their bodily force 
dwindled away under the enervating influence to 
which they had subjected themselves, until they sank 
to their present degraded condition—weak in body and 
mind, few in numbers, and apparently nearly extinct, 
the miserable representatives of far superior ancestors, 
maintaining a precarious existence as contemptible 
parasites of their former slaves. 
