196 A BUSY CITY AND THOROUGHFARE. 



line, when they would stand up almost erect, and 

 crossing their feelers for a few seconds would seem 

 to communicate. It would be interesting to know 

 the nature of that brief conversation. The little 

 pantomimists appeared to express affection for one 

 another, and to signify that life and its prospects 

 were bright. Beyond this my dull sense did not 

 comprehend the subtle language, and I shall re- 

 main in ignorance whether a certain herd of aphides 

 on the southern part of the tree yielded more food 

 than those upon other branches, or what measures 

 the workers had adopted at the last meeting. The 

 purpose of plunder was strongly fixed within their 

 little heads, and it was impossible to induce them 

 to turn back, and go in the direction from whence 

 they came, unless a helpless pupa was placed across 

 their pathway, when they would appear astonished 

 at finding prey so easily, and, eagerly seizing it with 

 their sharp mandibles, hurry away to their home. 



The sense of sight in ants, at least in this spe- 

 cies, is deficient, I am convinced from the fact 

 that they did not appear to be aware of the prox- 

 imity of others until they happened to collide. 

 Also at times, on another part of the road, when 

 they chanced upon a dead branch or upon the twig 

 that rested on the fence, they would wander up 



